In early morning
crowded with fish-smells
of olive oil
Burning- turmoil of Rome.
Then- she wished
for ice-cream, melting
on forehead, crowning
the mighty Jew who knelt.
His sister’s smile
carried in a ten year charm
as she whistled her youth
away-she stood. Broken tongue
Italian hardly known
she stood-shouting,
“Chickens lay eggs
in prepackaged palms-filling
our heads with yoke.”
And the tomatoes she held
ripe and round
mistakenly fell to the ground
his sister, instead-
picked up the dead
and left herself behind
the place.
Remember When I Saw You
Remember when I saw you
marble child -
through the key hole
feasting on fish?
Like a hyena you returned
to the bones in the meadow
to the young girl-
to her lighthouse.
Again, you returned
to her womb—
and out of her like
a falling bird
out of a nest-you slipped
son or daughter-
to the black climate
of hot milk.
And the young girl—
a resting turtle
under the haven shell
fell into a well of worry
crowded with fish-smells
of olive oil
Burning- turmoil of Rome.
Then- she wished
for ice-cream, melting
on forehead, crowning
the mighty Jew who knelt.
His sister’s smile
carried in a ten year charm
as she whistled her youth
away-she stood. Broken tongue
Italian hardly known
she stood-shouting,
“Chickens lay eggs
in prepackaged palms-filling
our heads with yoke.”
And the tomatoes she held
ripe and round
mistakenly fell to the ground
his sister, instead-
picked up the dead
and left herself behind
the place.
Remember When I Saw You
Remember when I saw you
marble child -
through the key hole
feasting on fish?
Like a hyena you returned
to the bones in the meadow
to the young girl-
to her lighthouse.
Again, you returned
to her womb—
and out of her like
a falling bird
out of a nest-you slipped
son or daughter-
to the black climate
of hot milk.
And the young girl—
a resting turtle
under the haven shell
fell into a well of worry
© Leah Elimeliah All Rights Reserved