Sep 23, 2014
My Father Gave the Neighbors
By Erez Bitton, translated from the Hebrew by Tsipi Keller
On the wounded night my father gave the neighbors a wine feast and a variety of pastries while my mother unraveled both her eyes to the ravens.
And on tiptoe the neighborhood wives come and go, lighting candles to Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes and to Rabbi Shimon bar-Yochai.
And I feverish toss and turn all night soliciting my mother’s eyes to calm my father.
And the women continue to come and go to revive me with nard and turmeric until morning arrives sealing the time of darkness.
Originally published at Guernica.