Category Archives: Poetry

Voyager

VoyagerShe was called into port one fall evening,
Maintenance needed after long voyages,
Fine adjustments to the keel and her rudder,
A new rope and some stitches of sails.

Her tall mast, roomy hall, were eye-catching,
She was famous for braving high seas,
Crossing storms as if flat surface sailing,
All while hauling great loads with a breeze.

This great vessel exudes special allure,
You would know if you wandered its halls,
Learning stories of high-seas adventures,
Long tours traveled with sextant and wheel.

Once north wind came to shore, she departed,
Without fanfare or teary farewell,
I could see her white sails on horizon,
Pointing east as the wing blew them full.

Steady keel, mighty ship, and safe sailings,
May this voyage be long, jubilant,
Bring back flavors exotic, far places,
When your journey returns you to port.

 

September 15, 2025

Chronometry

ChronometryI can measure time by days, weeks, and months,
I can measure it by hours and minutes,
Sunrises and full moons,
Seasons and years.

I can measure time by counting leaves on the ground,
Strata in rocks,
Movement of the sun by day,
Stars and galaxies at night.

I can measure time by counting dog years and the number of pets kept,
Trips to the ocean and holiday vacations.
I can measure time by recalling the first time I saw you,
Standing there by the door.
The first time we met, talked, and walked together.
Our first kiss.
I can measure time by looking back on all that we have accomplished together,
And all that we have achieved with each other’s support.
I can measure time by looking through our picture albums,
Or by observing our aging bodies.

All those memories, each one, a moment in time,
Become fresh when recalled, as if they have just happened.
Every time I think of any of them on our timeline,
I remember,
Time to live.

 

June, 2, 2025

רֵיחוֹת מִלְחָמָה

רֵיחוֹת מִלְחָמָה,לְמִלְחָמוֹת יֵשׁ רֵיחַ שֶׁל טַחַב
,יָשָׁן, דָּחוּס, עוֹמֵד בָּאֲוִויר
,כְּמוֹ לְצִיּוּד צְבָאִי שֶׁהוּצָא מֵאַחְסָנָה אֲרוּכָּה
,מַדִּים שֶׁנֶּעֶרְמוּ בְּמַחְסָן לַח
.מִקְלָט שֶׁעָמַד סָגוּר זֶה זְמַן
,כְּמוֹ זִיכְרוֹנוֹת יְשָׁנִים שֶׁנִּשְׁכְּחוּ זֶה מִכְּבָר
,וְכָעֵת חוֹזְרִים בְּאַחַת
,עִם אוֹתוֹ רֵיחַ מוּכָּר
,שֶׁל אַזְעָקוֹת, רַעַשׁ אַלִּים, פַּחַד
.וְחוֹסֶר וַדָּאוּת

,מִלְחָמוֹת הֵן חֲווֹיָה מְאוּבֶּקֶת
,בָּעוֹרֶף כְּמוֹ בַּחֲזִית
,אָבָק דַּק, בֶּן שָׁנִים
,לָבָן, בִּלְתִּי נִרְאֶה
,שֶׁנָּח לוֹ בִּלְתִּי מוּפְרָע
,בְּמֶשֶׁךְ שָׁנִים
,עַל מִשְּׁטָחִים
,בְּתוֹךְ חֲרִיצִים
.בְּמַעֲמְקֵי בּוּנְקֵרִים וּמִקְלָטִים
,מִתְמַמֵּשׁ לוֹ כָּעֵת בְּכַפּוֹת הַיָּדַיִים
,עַל קְצוֹת הָאֶצְבָּעוֹת
,מוּחֲרָד מְרִבְצוֹ כְּשֶׁכְּלִי מִלְחָמָה
,מוּרְעָמִים בַּיָמָ”חִים
,כְּשֶׁסַּפְסָלִים יְשָׁנִים חוֹרְקִים בַּהַפְתָּעָה
,תַּחַת מִשְׁקָלָם שֶׁל חוֹסִים חֲדָשִׁים
,בַּמִּקְלָטִים הַצִּיבּוּרִיִּים
,בְּרַחֲבֵי הַכְּרַךְ
.בְּאֶמְצַע הַלַּיְלָה

,לְמִלְחָמוֹת יֵשׁ רֵיחַ שֶׁל זֵיעָה
,חֲרִיפָה, חֲמוּצָה, מְגָרֶדֶת, מַטְרִידָה
,עַל מַדִּים שְׁנִלְבְּשׁוּ יָמִים וְשָׁבוּעוֹת
,בְּגָדִים שֶׁלֹּא הוּפְשְׁטוּ מֵאָז אֵימָתַי
,לְלֹא הַפְסָקָה
.לְלֹא הַחְלָפָה
,כִּי מִקְלַחַת וּכְבִיסָה
,הֵם אֵירוּעִים שֶׁל יְמֵי חוֹל
,שִׁגְרָה שְׁקֵטָה
,וְהֶרְגֵּלִי נִיקָּיוֹן
,כָּל אוֹתָן פְּעִילוּיוֹת
,שֶׁלֹּא מַמָּשׁ שַׁיּיֹכוֹת
.לִזְמַן מִלְחָמָה

English Translation
June 15, 2025

 

 

רִיצַת לַיְלָה

רִיצַת לַיְלָה,בַּחֲלוֹמוֹתַי הָרְדוּפִים
,רוֹדְפִים אוֹתִי
,מִינֵי טִיפּוּסִים
,בִּצְעָדִים גְּדוֹלִים
.בִּמְכוֹנִיּוֹת מְהִירוֹת
,וַאֲנִי
,קְצַר נְשִׁימָה
,כְּמוֹ אָז
,מֵחִישׁ צְעָדַי
,הָאִיטִּיִים תָּמִיד
,כְּדֵי לְהַסְפִּיק
,לְהַגִּיעַ
.לִפְנֵיהֶם

,בְּהַקִיצִי
,אֲנִי תּוֹהֶה
,מִי אַתֶּם
?וְעַל מָה תִרְדֶפוּנִי
,זִכְרוֹנוֹת מְתַעְתְּעִים
,חֲלוֹמוֹת מוּפְשָׁטִים
,שֶׁהַמְּצִיאוּת בָּהֶם
,רוֹמֶזֶת לִמְצִיאוּת אַחֶרֶת
,שֶׁנִּקְבְּרָה לִפְנֵי שָׁנִים
,עַל יְדֵי הַזִּכָּרוֹן הַמֵּגֵן
,מִפְּנֵי הַכְּאֵב
.הַהוּא

,יֵשׁ לוֹ לַתַּת מוּדָע
,תַּפְקִיד חָשׁוּב
.בַּהֲגָנַת הַמּוֹלָד
,אַךְ חָרִיצֵי הָאוֹר הַלָּלוּ
,הַפּוֹרְצִים
,בְּחֶשְׁכָת הַלַּיְלָה
,מַקְרִינִים
,חֶלְקֵי תְּמוּנוֹת
,שִׁבְרִי רְמָזִים
,לְמָה שֶׁהָיָה
,מִי שֶׁהָיָה
.אֲנִי

English Translation
June 28, 2025

Nature Love

Nature LoveLove is an egg,
Fertilized by a smile,
A meeting,
And a conversation.
It hatches with a hug,
Continues to grow and develop,
Through mutual attention,
Patience,
And care.
It spreads its wings and soars,
Carrying both over great distances,
Of maturity and growth,
Far beyond their individual reach.

Love is a tree,
Sprouts from a seed,
Planted together with care,
Dedication,
And hope.
It is feeble at first,
Susceptible to the elements,
Cross winds,
And inadequate locations.
But soon its roots strike deeper,
Grow and spread,
Its trunk thickens,
The canopy grows wider and taller,
Providing shelter and shade,
From rainstorms and hail,
Offering a clear distant view from its top,
Over the forest.

Love is a strength,
Mightier than envy, anger, and hate.
It is armor protecting from threats,
Of all natures,
Physical, mental, and spiritual.
It takes little to spark,
Yet provides endless powers,
For all who share it,
To find comfort and forte,
Console and care,
Inner light and inspiration,
Deep inside the soul.

Love is an opportunity,
To engage,
To trust,
To intimately know.
It diverges from person to person,
But has no limits in reach.
It is made of large, positive numbers,
Always adds, never subtracts.
It is ultimate food,
In abundance for all,
Both the nourished and hungry,
For the body and soul.
It sustains via touch,
And by distant connections,
Through one’s voice and their scribe,
To those in the relations.

Love today, love here, now,
In the moment and always,
In the heat of the night,
And in darkness of day.
Give it all that you can,
Be true, giving, and sharing,
It will raise you to heights,
Paramount to a human being.

 

May 15, 2025

הַשִּׂיחָה

הַשִּׂיחָה.הַבּוֹקֶר הֶחְלַטְתִּי לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר לְאַבָּא שֶׁלִּי
,הוּא נִמְצָא לְבַד בַּבַּיִת מֵאָז שֶׁאִמָּא נִפְטְרָה
,בִּתְחִילַּת הַשָּׁנָה
.וְרָצִיתִי לִשְׁאוֹל לִשְׁלוֹמוֹ
.הוּא עָנָה מִיָּד לַטֶּלֶפוֹן
,שׂוֹחַחְנוּ קְצָת וְהוּא סִיפֵּר שֶׁהַיְּלָדִים כְּבָר לֹא בָּאִים כֹּל כָּךְ לְבַקֵּר
.מִכֵּיווֹן וְהֵם עֲסוּקִים
.חָשַׁבְתִּי עַל זֶה לָרֶגַע וְהִסְתַּכַּלְתִּי סְבִיבִי בַּחֶדֶר
,הַכּוֹל נִרְאָה רָגִיל
,אֲבָל מַשֶּׁהוּ בְּקוֹלוֹ שֶׁל אַבָּא
.הָיָה שׁוֹנֶה
,הַאִם זוֹ אֵיכוּת הַקַּו
,שָׁאַלְתִּי אֶת עַצְמִי
,אוֹ שֶׁזּוֹהִי אֵיזוֹ תּוֹכְנַת בִּינָה מְלָאכוּתִית
?שֶׁגּוֹרֶמֶת לַטֶּלֶפוֹן לְהָתֵל בִּי
,אוֹ אָז, תּוֹךְ כְּדֵי שֶׁאֲנִי מַקְשִׁיב
,וְחוֹשֵׁב
,נִזְכַּרְתִּי שֶׁאַבָּא נִפְטָר שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנִים
.מוּקְדָּם יוֹתֵר מֵאִימָּא
.כָּעֵת נִשְׁמָע קוֹלוֹ שׁוֹנֶה מְאֹד
,זֶה לְלֹא סָפֵק מַשֶּׁהוּ מְלָאכוּתִי
.הֶחְלַטְתִּי
,זֶה
.אוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי שׁוּב חוֹלֵם
,הִבַּטְתִּי בְּטֶלֶפוֹן
,הִסְתַּכַּלְתִּי שׁוּב סָבִיב
.וְאָז הִתְעוֹרַרְתִּי
,שָׁכַבְתִּי בְּשֶׁקֶט לְרֶגַע
.גּוֹמֶא אֵת שְׁאֵרִיּוֹת הַחֲווֹיָה
,נוּ, טוֹב
,נָשַׁמְתִּי עָמוֹק
,לִפְחוֹת כָּךְ אֲנִי יָכוֹל לִשְׁמוֹעַ אוֹתוֹ מִידֵּי פַּעַם
,וְלָדַעַת
.שֶׁהוּא בְּסֵדֶר

English Translation
May 14, 2025

 

Writing

WritingA thought about a friend,
Who shared with me experience,
Resurgence of emotions,
Resulting from past pain.

A line from conversation,
I had a few days prior,
Revisiting a dream,
That woke me up at dawn.

Regrets of past encounters,
Confessions of bad choices,
Successes and sad failures,
Brave actions dipped in dread.

All those and more are fodder,
For poetry and stories,
Unlock the conscience fetters,
Set soul and spirit free.

 

April 27, 2025

Bottled Wonder

ImagineHow do you think we would act,
If we all had possessed a sixth sense,
To read thoughts, honest feelings of others,
In the way they were clearly expressed?

What if trees could uproot themselves wholly,
When they didn’t like where they were set,
And had traveled to new, better pastures,
Any time when they felt that they must?

What if birds could write songs like musicians,
And not only chirp sing them in key,
Would we chart them with others on Billboard,
And play on the top-40s airwaves?

What if people knew love and affection,
Can win hearts more than power and fight,
Of machine guns, armadas, and warplanes,
Over hate, honor, borders, and pride?

What if you knew that I, very often,
Think of you through the moments of day,
And cannot wait until I get chance,
To read to you these words face-to-face.

Can a line convey love, care, true feelings?
Could a poem surmise it quite well?
I will lay it down here, for the ages,
With the hope that it does that with flair.

 

April 24, 2025

בַּגְרוּת

Maturity,בִּצְעִירוּתִי
,הָיִיתִי רָץ קָדִימָה
,בְּאוֹפֶן תָּדִיר
,בְּמִרְדָּף עַצְמִי
,לְהֵחָפֵז, לְהַסְפִּיק, לַעֲשׂוֹת
.לְהַצְלִיחַ
,אוּלָם
,הַהַצְלָחוֹת הָאֲמִיתִּיּוֹת לֹא הוֹפִיעוּ
,עַד שֶׁלֹּא הִשְׂכַלְתִּי
,לְהָאֵט קִמְעָה
,לִמְדוֹד צְעָדַי
,לִלְמוֹד
,לְהִתְכּוֹנֵן
,בְּשִׁיקּוּל דַּעַת
,בִּרְווֹחַת נֶפֶשׁ
,כְּדֵי לִהְיוֹת מְסוּגָּל
,לְהָפִיק מֵעַצְמִי
,וּמִכִּשְׁרוֹנִי
,אֶת הַמֵּיטָב שֶׁנִּיתַּן לִדְלוֹת
.מֵהֶם

English Translation
March 30, 2025

Calling Card

Calling CardFirst name, last name,
Dark ink, boldface.
Title,
Pause
Photographer?
Pause.
Artist?
Pause again.
Try,
Writer?
Poet?
Satirist? Novelist?
Pause.
Inventor?
Explorer?
Searcher?
Pause.
Curious,
Dreamer,
Me.

 

April 15, 2025