By Eileen Wingard
LA JOLLA, California — A committee is now soliciting entries from Jewish poets for the fifth season of “Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices” to be presented in the Lawrence Family JCC’s Astor Judaica Library.
I have the privilege of serving on that committtee along with moderator Joy Heitzman, Michael Horvitz, Bonnie Baron and staff members of the JCC-affiliated Center for Jewish Culture, Marcia Tatz Wollner and Susan Hagler.
Dates for the 2013 season are Tuesday nights, 7 p.m., January 15, February 19, and March 12.
The fourth season of Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices concluded March 27, 2012, with an inspiring evening of student poetry. Young people from the San Diego Jewish Academy, the Soille Hebrew Day School and High Tech High read their original works. The Soille Hebrew Day School students wrote on the same theme: Respect.
Teachers of the young poets from the Jewish Academy and the Hebrew Day School attended with their students and the instructors read their own selections during the open mic period of the evening.
Samples of the student poetry heard on March 27 include the following:
REM Sleep
by Lily Greenberg Call
SD Jewish Academy
You can dream more.
The earth balances precariously, but in your
Soft moments of slumber,
The world is yours.
Explore.
fine poppy seeds fall
slowly down
the curtain of your eyelids,
collecting in the corners.
A bug flies in to say hello.
And you keep
running in this dream
it’s barefoot, the rocks of the earth slicing into your toes and yet
It feels so good.
The dream switches and now you feel
fake grass and
suddenly you are in
a stadium with
the lights shining directly on you.
The crowd chants, the light grows brighter, the pressure is exploding your esophagus
blocking your nostrils with harsh fumes
lungs fighting for breath turning blue gasping gasping gasping—
And my bed is covered in sweat. And my eyes cast open
And I’m wearing shoes.
*
Rain Rain, Go Away
by Yardyn Shraga
SD Jewish Academy
the world is wet.
soaking with rain so filled with commotion, with tears.
the fresh smell is gone, or was it here to begin with?
leaving the whole world damp and distressed.
subtle fog sinks into us, enclosing us
her mysterious hands clenching our throats,
only daring us to choke. but choke what?
the tears, only threatening to spill over our eyes, downpour like waterfalls,
soaking us with hatred, jealousy, fury.
but also with hurt.
hurt so delicate you can barely feel it
begin to pile
pile pile pile.
around your bones, around your tissue, around your delicate hands.
The same ones that held mine, only house before the world was dropped into
acid rain.
*
Remember
by Becca Myers
High Tech High
Remember that place?
Remember that place where you first fell in love?
The trees tickling arms grabbing and clutching at you
Try to remember
The smell of the dew as you ran over the soft fallen leaves
The sound of the whispering stream, rolling and tripping down the colorful pebbles
The soft dirt, smelling like a bouquet of roses
The birds swooping low, singing joyously
Each flower, imploring you to taste its sweet scent
Every butterfly whistling through the breeze
The curious vines all leaning up against you
Trying to get closer to you
The wind rustling swiftly through the trees,
But you still felt warm.
Remember how it felt?
To be safe,
And suddenly to be alone no longer
To run through the leaves together
To laugh at the stream, together
Rolling through the dirt
Imitating the birds
Chasing the dancing butterflies
Warmed by the feel of a hand in yours
Remember how it felt?
To be safe,
And then, suddenly,
To be alone once again.
Remember.
The cold rain biting at your calloused skin,
The stream thundering against the jagged rocks,
Turning into a raging beast
Devouring the soft dirt
The gnarled trees clawing at you
Each bird, screaming pitifully
The flowers, shriveling into miserable masses
There are no more joyful butterflies or inquisitive plants
The chilling air has become unbearable,
Has frozen your heart.
The magic of this place has vanished
Vanished, never to be seen again.
Remember that place?
Remember that place where you first fell in love?
Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices is open to the public at no charge. Audience members may sign up to read one of their works during the open-microphone period following the hour of featured poets. A reception ends the evening where published works by the featured poets are available for purchase.
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Wingard is a freelance writer and retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony. She may be contacted at eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com