Hokhmah

Separate the veil from the wander

Your face will become

Like a teardrop on a rainy day

When the drop remains drop

When it becomes the fear of the broken

And the next goodbye

The next tremor a poet’s hands would give

An August night

In a train or near the water fountain

Or at the center of the middle of an old city

Full of traditions

Question destiny

In a thirst of communion

When the peaceful center of your revolt

Is destiny itself, anointed in times yet to accept

Times held together by the courtesy of the broken

That makes us ourselves

Makes us our parents

Makes us fearful of rainy nights when the only fire

Is to the tip of a candle

When the candle consumes its flame before sunset

When morning mist is never dew

But just cold

As river pearls wrapped around your ankles, in revolt,

To gamble and lose

Become large and small

In grace and in mercy

For the contraction of death

Is just a sunset, or a bird fallen

From its nest.

Bring wine

At dawn

But let us not drink

Bring love

But let us resist

Bring time

For we need to remember

That the pearls around your ankle

Once were of the river

Where a teardrop, on a rainy day

Remained drop

In fear that its salt

Would change destiny

And let that river run

Beneath your veil

And touch your face

Before the dreaming poet

Sang his words to you

Because of you

And upon your lips, anointed of time and fear,

He stayed for a while

Till he found his poem

And new fears

May 13, 2009

©Vahé Kazandjian, 2013