Whenever I returned from my happy place
to this outpost of the universe
you invited me for more than 35 years
to eat and chat and into your embrace
and I expected you to do this year too
Our mutual longing for the "other world"
even though our families in the beginning
were here - we felt like outsiders -
we shared our experiences before kids
what we did when we were young
Our communal love for art, books, music,
discussions, life - you had your share
of sorrows - I had mine - how could we not
after all this time - some would say
a lifetime - or just a half of one
Your pride in your family and your kids
are unmatched - their accomplishments
you shared with joy in your eyes - united
you and your husband - you adored him
but you probably had fights too
You became an Ulpan teacher over here
your group lasted for more than 2 decades
you taught kids to go to their bar/bat mitzvah
your curiosity of your ancestral religion
intrigued me and I learned from you
We as women in the American diaspora
you from Israel and me from Denmark
wanting always to flee this odd place
even though our lives were easy - yet
I wish you were still welcoming me
At your dinner table with Danish decor
and your lovely cooking - Mediterranean
first a drink with your hors d'oeuvres
then surely a soup created in your kitchen
a fish and a light dessert - lovingly planned
At the end of the evening at the coffee
debates flew wild - mostly between me
and your hubby while mine and you
watched our sparring matches -
words of female wisdom you prompted
Oh my outer-worldly-friend - Mali
of course I reciprocated because that's
what Europeans do - not Americans
maybe that's why we felt a closeness
I wish you could invite me again
-
No comments:
Post a Comment