Ha’Azinu – Deuteronomy 32:1-52
A poem in honor of Moses’ last poem from Ha’Azinu. It was written about the great violinist for the Buffalo Orchestra Marilyn Kregal. It is also included in a new collection of poetry I just published. Thank you to Gunilla Kester, Irene Sipos, Perry Nicholas, and Gary Earl Ross for making it possible.
Her Last Concierto
In-joy, she said, with a smile
About almost anything, her best friend said –
Even when she shlepped me off for hernia surgery
Always an emphasis on joy and not on the in.
We were standing by her graveside
laughing as she would have wanted.
She had asked us tell stories,
Only a few of us gathered in the veterans section
She has not served, as of such,
but loved taking her Alaskan Malamutes to the VA.
American flags waved slightly in the breeze.
Her daughters lounging on cemetery chairs.
Look up to the reams of light and song
she had written on a note to both of them
instructions for what to do after she died
Where no one says farewell
Was it really even goodbye?
Having accompanied her to the grave.
We tucked her into bed –
a violin playing in the background- in-joy!
Poetry Written While Walking Dogs: November 2019 – June 2021
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex