orange and Bermuda wine passage
water bongos pulsate
water bongos pulsate
dripping in Talmudic cadence,
dripping in Talmudic cadence,
silly yawning bugs with Hebrew accents daven and sway,
silly yawning bugs with Hebrew accents daven and sway,
yet another path opens…
yet another path opens…
so another man’s beard whitens…
so another man’s beard whitens…
as another woman’s heart goldens…
as another woman’s heart goldens…
when a sea-weary wooden vessel
when a sea-weary wooden vessel
packed with 150 bleary souls
packed with 150 bleary souls
at last stumbled into Netanya
at last stumbled into Netanya
that 1947 blue night Friday Shabbos,
that 1947 blue night Friday Shabbos,
the orange and Bermuda wine passage was born,
the orange and Bermuda wine passage was born,
dragging and tugging along
dragging and tugging along
the ghosts of generation after Yehudim generation
the ghosts of generation after Yehudim generation
earnest wanderers
earnest wanderers
standing alongside destitute jokers,
standing alongside destitute jokers,
all nonetheless endowed with hearts
all nonetheless endowed with hearts
that have remained solid,
that have remained solid,
beholden,
beholden,
settled forever in their usual steadfast place
settled forever in their usual steadfast place
(yes, it is only our heads that frolic,
(yes, it is only our heads that frolic,
leaping into miracles or creating dread)
leaping into miracles or creating dread)
those lost and hopeful sailors
those lost and hopeful sailors
abandoned by any thought of love
abandoned by any thought of love
or empathy from the world,
or empathy from the world,
these scattered distant 12 tribes somehow converged,
these scattered distant 12 tribes somehow converged,
dressed in blue…
dressed in blue…
dressed in white…
dressed in white…
and so this singular race
and so this singular race
unabashedly poetic
unabashedly poetic
so serene despite their struggled existence,
so serene despite their struggled existence,
mindfully scraped away the rusted ruins of history
mindfully scraped away the rusted ruins of history
from each wet moment in time,
from each wet moment in time,
digging,
digging,
competing for just a glimpse of some gentle refuge
competing for just a glimpse of some gentle refuge
some inevitable brilliant corner of this land
some inevitable brilliant corner of this land
soaked and tethered in lilting flute joyfulness
soaked and tethered in lilting flute joyfulness
now today makes 70 years subsequent…
now today makes 70 years subsequent…
let us remind our brethren
let us remind our brethren
of these blue and white sailors
of these blue and white sailors
who had forsaken their bodies
who had forsaken their bodies
and whose hearts long ago emerged
and whose hearts long ago emerged
nested in the same place,
nested in the same place,
this spoonful of humanity having piloted as one,
this spoonful of humanity having piloted as one,
still celebrating Life,
still celebrating Life,
hopefully, undauntedly,
hopefully, undauntedly,
hand in hand,
hand in hand,
these pirates who once drifted like honey oozing
these pirates who once drifted like honey oozing
from a relentless tide,
from a relentless tide,
who stood face to face against
who stood face to face against
fig wine anointed counterfeit rigid prophets,
fig wine anointed counterfeit rigid prophets,
enemies who sanctimoniously knelt in extended prayer,
enemies who sanctimoniously knelt in extended prayer,
who demanded surrender and conformity,
who demanded surrender and conformity,
and who chose to honor only their princes
and who chose to honor only their princes
and cannons
and cannons
and queens…
and queens…
yes,
yes,
it is our calling
it is our calling
to stand with these blue and white sailors
to stand with these blue and white sailors
who bestowed upon us
who bestowed upon us
an orange and Bermuda wine passage,
an orange and Bermuda wine passage,
who have been protected
who have been protected
and honored since by more curlyhaired steadfast sailors
and honored since by more curlyhaired steadfast sailors
who have carried on the weight of decades
who have carried on the weight of decades
of centuries
of centuries
of millenniums,
of millenniums,
trusted survivors who have never wavered…
trusted survivors who have never wavered…
and from them
and from them
at last
at last
we are beckoned
we are beckoned
all of us -
all of us -
homeward
homeward
June 21, 2018
June 21, 2018