The dance

He dances, spinning and jumping as

Sparks fizz from the fire

Singeing points of light

Fly up into the dark woollen knit sky.

He moves crisply

In time with the group

Ever watchful to be like them

He wants to be absorbed by them

But unique, just like the rest

He somersaults and stands on his hands

Momentarily saying, ‘Look at me!

I am here too!’ He is happy to be

One with the group.

Rav Shimeon bar Yochai watches smiling

To see these young Jews

Move and dance as one

Am Israel Chai

In hope that the dance

Will be mirrored in other ways

Throughout the day and the year

To come, we need to move as one.

Falling leaves

It is the time of autumn falls again


Dappled leaves change


Greens yellowing to fiery flames


Dancing on branches


Whipped by winds and rain


They flood the gutters and foot paths.


Children run and kick up the piles


In delirious joy, they fall and roll


Together in the leaves, scarves flying


So securely, they are attached


To life, binding together the good times


With little thought or careful planning


While others age


Their memories wither and die


Like leaves falling from trees


Yet unlike the trees,


Their minds will not blossom anew


In the spring turgid with green buds


Sprouting those broad flat leaves,


But remain starkly branched limbs


Breaking off pieces continually


Stretched and pleading for mercy


Against a bleached blue sky


When words shrink and shrivel to nothingness


For some, becoming aged is to die


A thousand deaths in one life.