To Channa
We shared cold mushroom and barley soup at Ratners
that January 2nd Avenue early morning
after the Santana concert,
and then never forgot one another
till right now---
and this is right now.
We rode our squeaky green bikes
through Beach 23rd St
Rockaway alleyways
all those summer nights
Yiddish whistles
dripping cherry ice pops
chasing each other
till right now---
and this is right now.
You painted watercolor photographs
I wrote photographic image poetry
there on Tinker Street
summer of ‘69,
and we both never showed up
for our exhibit together
till right now---
and this is right now
I never thought much
about your history,
till right now...Jewish woman,
historic visionary
Rachel and Rebecca
multicolored Rust woman
my fire paintings burned your memory,
satisfied my longing
till right now.
Right now
we have survived
to pursue the Joy
we have survived
to collect the ashes from our countless infinite history
somehow kept alive
to continue again,
with dignity
with the dreams of symbiotic memories,
with the laughter of hip tradition
with the tears and bitter herbs of old and lost rivers
your French sister
left you as an eternal gift
that you didn’t care to open
till right now
and we are right now.
Boca Raton, FL
11/15/03