tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70775966519225955362024-02-07T20:00:30.644-05:00a sun kissed lifeayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.comBlogger503125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-62755812356028895572023-06-01T15:32:00.004-04:002023-06-01T15:32:57.453-04:00Sally<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sally</span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I no longer remember the sound of her laughter.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I no longer remember the scent of her perfume.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Did she bake challah for the Sabbath?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Did her hands form a perfect braid?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The wind whispered her name. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Her hair flowed when she walked. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Darkness, illuminated by her smile.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">She embraced her husband for the last time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The memories of their newlywed days sustained her.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Their faces beamed when they found each other in a crowd.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Their hearts beat as one.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Their unconscious flowing tenderness was seamless.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A dance of life, filled with beauty and kindness.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Sally mourned my beloved uncle’s death.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Devastated and alone she returned </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">to reclaim their home.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The villagers that pillaged their possessions </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">took her life. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Her body was dismembered. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I might imagine all the places where </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">the parts were thrown. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Patches of beautiful lilies grew there. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>(This poem originally appeared in <a href="https://www.goldendragonflypress.com/books/a-corner-in-the-world" target="_blank">A Corner in the World: </a></i></span></p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i><a href="https://www.goldendragonflypress.com/books/a-corner-in-the-world" target="_blank">Holocaust Poems for My Father. </a><a href="https://www.goldendragonflypress.com/books/a-corner-in-the-world" target="_blank"><br /></a></i></span><p> </p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-15742156655102106972022-12-06T06:50:00.001-05:002022-12-06T06:51:50.160-05:00The Laceration<p><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">The ache is not a discomfort.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">It’s anguish.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">A laceration,</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Piercing into the core</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Of what I believed to be true.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">I mourn who we were</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Before the distortion </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19.08px;">Led us to who we have become.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-14099572593894569932022-07-31T11:08:00.001-04:002022-07-31T11:08:08.450-04:00Going To The Moon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeVWDZfyDPsbzUhBruPLB-ni5an5i8P0bYmJbCU_fHetTVrihKfjaqYGNIf3ZEP1OxtucPMoeE84-9Lq0fduK7pBA3AIdCi0zNXyyF7hoy-8-_EWq-ECm7zggPwcbIaqKIhPz5e9dVp6yBYuJJu6OgxlyAwtGvy9B2vFjWRUVli5bM9dkB7QpOYM/s2691/0DAB9836-5EED-48BB-BDC4-8F073BA88ECD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="2691" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeVWDZfyDPsbzUhBruPLB-ni5an5i8P0bYmJbCU_fHetTVrihKfjaqYGNIf3ZEP1OxtucPMoeE84-9Lq0fduK7pBA3AIdCi0zNXyyF7hoy-8-_EWq-ECm7zggPwcbIaqKIhPz5e9dVp6yBYuJJu6OgxlyAwtGvy9B2vFjWRUVli5bM9dkB7QpOYM/s320/0DAB9836-5EED-48BB-BDC4-8F073BA88ECD.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgDe5QfrOnAKVOivnPDpQ6qHmkGHzPpADENbBXSgo39fmBsukyea67dsAw6cUBtxBCT2qFUuVai8EGsBdDIfoJ_g8m6XX9OyHQCPHje3vSw0AMJ8OdyTtIDweZYTqmDya_ENWkLMdkSNJ6ccBAIEh5KGOfT93XYxES4x-x3MJWYCNZKpLuBLynpc/s2732/2ECC8083-2D99-43F3-AB52-7C56BD5A71A3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2732" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgDe5QfrOnAKVOivnPDpQ6qHmkGHzPpADENbBXSgo39fmBsukyea67dsAw6cUBtxBCT2qFUuVai8EGsBdDIfoJ_g8m6XX9OyHQCPHje3vSw0AMJ8OdyTtIDweZYTqmDya_ENWkLMdkSNJ6ccBAIEh5KGOfT93XYxES4x-x3MJWYCNZKpLuBLynpc/s320/2ECC8083-2D99-43F3-AB52-7C56BD5A71A3.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />I am so honored to be a part of The Lunar Codex. The Lunar Codex is an archive of contemporary art, books, music, poetry and film, launched via NASA’s Artemis partners to the moon.<p></p><p>One word comes to mind gratitude, gratitude, gratitude.</p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-1976582977365070732022-04-26T18:29:00.005-04:002022-04-26T18:29:57.819-04:00I Am Water<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> <br />I am fluid<br />as the river<br />flowing through a canyon.<br />I am not stagnant water <br />standing <br />still in a bucket.<br />I am rippling,<br />rolling, <br />unbroken.<br />I am free.</p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-62638371305801915602022-04-24T15:23:00.003-04:002022-04-24T15:32:18.180-04:00The Sun<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">The darkest hours</p><p style="text-align: center;">will unravel the light.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Waiting,</p><p style="text-align: center;">questioning </p><p style="text-align: center;">the conundrum.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Disentanglement </p><p style="text-align: center;">will be late coming.</p><p style="text-align: center;">In Mariupol, the smoke</p><p style="text-align: center;">is rising.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The land is ravaged.</p><p style="text-align: center;">In the steel factory</p><p style="text-align: center;">the girl has sheltered</p><p style="text-align: center;">52 days</p><p style="text-align: center;">underground.</p><p style="text-align: center;">All she wants is to</p><p style="text-align: center;">see the sun.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-21039181285347188782022-04-09T14:05:00.004-04:002022-04-09T14:05:35.789-04:00The Rubble<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="ecm0bbzt hv4rvrfc dati1w0a e5nlhep0" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_1gz"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg"><div class="qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The Rubble <span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu"></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu"></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu"></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu"><br /></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The rubble stained.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The rubble cloaks shame.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Innocence taken.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Innocence lost and forgotten,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">as if it never existed.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Once, there were children playing,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">their laughter echoing through these streets.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Their faces beamed with joy as they ran free,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">playing hopscotch and hide-and-go-seek.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Once, fathers and mothers tucked their children into bed.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Teeth brushed,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">bruises tended to,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">bedtime stories told, as</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">the moon and stuffed animals listened.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Once, there were lunches made,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">homework examined,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">board games played,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">holidays celebrated,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">music played.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Once, there were grandparents conversing,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">tending to the children,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">bridging the present to the past.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The sun rose.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The sun set.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Life was lived.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Love was shared.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Underneath the rubble,</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">bodies are buried.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Hope ravaged.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Laughter silenced.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Life ended.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The promise of tomorrow stolen.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Praying for the people of Ukraine <br /></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-61761648823920839252021-07-19T15:41:00.002-04:002021-07-19T15:41:43.127-04:00A Corner in the World: Holocaust Poems for My Father<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThESMQQS-KJHhXyy0c-s5l8lQTrFMTg44GnUD0LwFYJev1uYhpLXThQa5z8HkRa2nGkCu0lGj0Ph37zfsWzOXy7ivEiB55dK-OaZ71cujApkIqDo5ftO2eR_0a7VOGqnpJYeJE-oGbyM/s2048/6C49C26D-8705-41F2-ACC6-5CD16EE92A36.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThESMQQS-KJHhXyy0c-s5l8lQTrFMTg44GnUD0LwFYJev1uYhpLXThQa5z8HkRa2nGkCu0lGj0Ph37zfsWzOXy7ivEiB55dK-OaZ71cujApkIqDo5ftO2eR_0a7VOGqnpJYeJE-oGbyM/s320/6C49C26D-8705-41F2-ACC6-5CD16EE92A36.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;">It’s out and available! </p><p style="text-align: center;">As difficult as it is to remember,</p><p style="text-align: center;">the history and sentiments will remind us</p><p style="text-align: center;">that we can never afford to forget.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I am proud and I feel honored to share</p><p style="text-align: center;">these poems, </p><p style="text-align: center;">these stories that I will carry with me forever.</p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-78531242368158543022021-06-11T18:19:00.001-04:002021-06-11T18:19:57.355-04:00Book Reveal- A Corner In The World:Holocaust Poems For My Father<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxI7ghS5MdA8FXmVFg9o2WoAWJ8pycdaXruB-u7PALNjLn-orJ8AmTi_2N6P_rWG28s9Ckd6p3zyJZ6NUW_EQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> It's been my honor to write this book. <br /></p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-76866907927440717022020-11-26T16:16:00.000-05:002020-11-26T16:16:25.621-05:00Thanks<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> I heard that<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">thanks is a prayer.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thanks is enough.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Struggles arise,</p><p style="text-align: center;">angels and saviors.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Old scripture along side the new.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I have morphed </p><p style="text-align: center;">from the faithful</p><p style="text-align: center;">to the spiritual.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I read verses,</p><p style="text-align: center;">I listened to chants.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I am my father's daughter.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He claimed to find refuge and</p><p style="text-align: center;">communion anywhere.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He crawled from death to life.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He dwelt in the moment</p><p style="text-align: center;">because nothing is promised.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It was a gift</p><p style="text-align: center;">that he unknowingly handed to me.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I find solace.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I find sanctuary,</p><p style="text-align: center;">in a dark room or</p><p style="text-align: center;">under a vast sky.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Sitting beneath a sequoia tree,</p><p style="text-align: center;">peace spreading within,</p><p style="text-align: center;">within.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I inherited his optimism and </p><p style="text-align: center;">his despair.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I inherited his aura.</p><p style="text-align: center;">His spirit dwells in the </p><p style="text-align: center;">walls of my house,</p><p style="text-align: center;">when I light the memorial candles</p><p style="text-align: center;">on Friday nights.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The light glows.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I walk through the shadows</p><p style="text-align: center;">feeling less alone.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you is my prayer.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you for a thousand mornings</p><p style="text-align: center;">of silence.</p><p style="text-align: center;">A thousand mornings of love.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you on paper ships</p><p style="text-align: center;">in the bay,</p><p style="text-align: center;">and rose-colored dreams.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you though struggles</p><p style="text-align: center;">and failures.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you.<br /></p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-24663409741677558482020-10-16T08:40:00.000-04:002020-10-16T08:40:59.963-04:00Grandmothers And Granddaughters<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> My mother welcomed the sabbath,</p><p style="text-align: center;">lighting candles.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Her head covered,</p><p style="text-align: center;">her eyes closed</p><p style="text-align: center;">as she whispered her prayer.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Her house spotless.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The smells from the kitchen intoxicating. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Her table was adorned with a white</p><p style="text-align: center;">starched tablecloth and</p><p style="text-align: center;">crystal goblets for wine.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Silently she uncovered her head,</p><p style="text-align: center;">the way her mother had,</p><p style="text-align: center;">and her mother before her.</p><p style="text-align: center;">My mother's mother accumulated</p><p style="text-align: center;">a dowry when I was born.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Dishes and lines all chosen with intention</p><p style="text-align: center;">but mostly love.</p><p style="text-align: center;">She is present in my thoughts </p><p style="text-align: center;">as I think of my granddaughter.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Holding silver candlesticks that </p><p style="text-align: center;">I will gift to her.</p><p style="text-align: center;">How beautiful they are</p><p style="text-align: center;">for the home that she will make</p><p style="text-align: center;">some day.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Her eyes sparkle bright,</p><p style="text-align: center;">her smile is infectious.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Her sweet face can light </p><p style="text-align: center;">desolate paths,</p><p style="text-align: center;">and dark days and nights.</p><p style="text-align: center;">She was born with a crown on her head,</p><p style="text-align: center;">during a global pandemic.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The days were challenging</p><p style="text-align: center;">but she was the sun and the moon.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Enveloping us with love</p><p style="text-align: center;">from her first smile. <br /></p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-60844979380673877322020-08-18T09:08:00.001-04:002020-08-18T09:12:31.461-04:00Equality For Me And My Sisters<p>My eyes are luminous. <br />My heart is alive. <br />My soul is hungry.<br />I am not defined by my skin <br />or the vessel that I live in. <br />I am a visionary. <br />I am a rebel. <br />I am a woman that says no. <br />I faced venomous snakes who desired to crawl on my skin. <br />I faced <span class="ILfuVd NA6bn"><span class="hgKElc">ravenous</span></span> eyes that longed to devour me. <br />Their actions birthed shame rising through me. <br />Shame that I refused to claim. <br />I raised a son on my own <br />before I understood the strength, and the power that I had. <br />I raised him to be a better man than the ones I had known.<br /> My layers unraveled,<br />my inner voice found, <br />my inner voice soaring. <br />My layers flooded with light <br />and the understanding of being equal. <br />Weaving stories of my independence <br />and the independence of all my sisters. <br />Sisters I had known <br />and ones I have yet to meet.<br /> I understand myself. <br />I am valuable. <br />I am human. <br />I am love. <br />I am equal. <br />The memory leaves scars. <br />The memory leaves the residue of all that came before us.<br /><br /> </p>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-15057492330960468412020-08-12T18:47:00.000-04:002020-08-12T18:47:05.928-04:00The Boat Sleeps In The Boatyard<div style="text-align: center;">The boat sleeps in the boatyard. </div><div style="text-align: center;">When the moon rises,<br />the boat tells the trees and the frogs </div><div style="text-align: center;">stories about her boy </div><div style="text-align: center;">and his grandpa. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The boat carries them </div><div style="text-align: center;">through waves that gently rock her. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The boat is silent but she feels</div><div style="text-align: center;"> and she hears. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Grandpa showed the boy</div><div style="text-align: center;"> how to tie a knot.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> How to lure a fish to his line. </div><div style="text-align: center;">How the birds in the sky are the guides.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Grandpa showed the boy</div><div style="text-align: center;"> how to watch the tide. </div><div style="text-align: center;">How to ride the waves,<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> when they rock the boat up and down. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Grandpa knows the ocean </div><div style="text-align: center;">the way he knows the wide eyed boy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Grandpa’s hands are large and rugged .</div><div style="text-align: center;">The boy’s are small and tender.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> At night ,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the trees listen, </div><div style="text-align: center;">the crickets sing,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the frogs dive into puddles. </div><div style="text-align: center;">They wait and anticipate the joyous tales </div><div style="text-align: center;">the boat will tell about the day.<br /></div>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-48995393815099446372020-08-05T16:17:00.001-04:002020-08-05T16:18:28.221-04:00My Boy And The Moon<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dear moon,<br />have I told you that every time<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I see you,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I think of<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> my boy?<br />The way his eyelashes gently flutter when he sleeps.<br />The way he reaches for my hand to grasp it.<br />He tells me,<br />"I love you to the moon and back, grandma."<br />His eyes mischievous and luminous.<br />He watches the moon<br />as I do,<br />in separate cities<br />but joined in thought and in spirit.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The full moon intrigues him.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The quarter of the moon leaves him with anticipation for the growth</div><div style="text-align: center;">that will transpire.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He wishes he could touch the moon,<br />hold the moon in his hand and<br />place it back in the dark sky to light the way,<br />for all those lost,<br />for all those unloved.<br />Because his heart is full,<br />his heart is kind,<br />his love is complete.<br /></div>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-65129790458163719752020-08-02T17:04:00.000-04:002020-08-02T17:04:55.699-04:00Fifty Plus<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rebel,<br />believer,<br />dreamer.<br />Woman, <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">INVISIBLE.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Your pulse was thunder,<br />your hands were tender,<br />your eyes were luminous <br />like your soul.<br />Your laughter echoed in dark alleys,<br />your lips were devoured.<br />You drank,<br />you spoke loudly,<br />you dreamed big.<br />You lived in the moment,<br />your skies were vast.<br />Your journey on broken shards<br />made you stronger.<br />Your exterior beauty changed.<br />Your inner beauty grew<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and evolved into something bigger than you.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">FIFTY<br />INVISIBLE?<br />NOT!<br />sexism,<br />youth obsessed culture <br />denies you entry or importance<br />but you won’t surrender.<br /><br />You have settled in your vessel,<br />you have shed your skin.<br />You have found serenity<br />and humor. <br />Your fire raging,<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">your spirit elevated.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You bridge the old world with the new.<br />Wondering how you arrived <br />to this intersection sooner than you thought,<br />while you were <br />living a full life.<br />Holding,<br />embracing,<br />cradling,<br />everyone you’ve ever loved.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-23388085263925179872020-07-23T13:54:00.000-04:002020-07-23T13:54:50.656-04:00Aiden Three Laps Around The Sun<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The blue wood maracas laid </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
on the piano where we left them.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The spider frightened you</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but not the dragonfly.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You weave sentences into a</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
continuous conversation.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You walk with the confidence</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
of a boy who is loved,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a boy kissed by the sun and the moon.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Three years old</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and life is unfolding </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
with deep seeds of love</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and knowledge ingrained in your being.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We walk side by side,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
our friendship magnified </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by every magical story told,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
with games that soothe wounds.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Engaging in questions,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
delighting in the solutions.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Discovering new quests,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
creating new dreams.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Life amplified with </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
endless possibilities. <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-3146558598036637162020-06-28T11:10:00.000-04:002020-06-28T11:10:52.599-04:00Dying Alone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Modern day warriors</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
on the front lines of big cities</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and small towns.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They walk the narrow path,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
their minds wide open,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
their hearts stretched.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The scrubs,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
masks and gear they adorn</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
do not shield them from </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the vulnerability of the moments</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
hanging in a haze.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The shifts are long,<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
days stretched into nights.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hours that wear on the mind and soul.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They watch the sick,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the fragile,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
those </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that want to take a breath</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but can not. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Those that fade away dying alone,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
alone,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
alone.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The room empty</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
no love whispered,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
nor prayers.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Poetry on their skin</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
as their eyes drift.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The ventilators stand guard,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
voices heard through the corridor walls.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There is no parole from this prison,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
no furlough.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There are monitors and screens<br />
displaying vital signs </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and humans in spacesuits.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There are memories that play with the mind</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in and out of awareness. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A nurse holds a phone</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to witness a last goodbye</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to cherished ones.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Fragments of a conversation,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
amends for words unspoken,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
for dreams unfulfilled.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One more day,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
one more night,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
if only... </div>
<br />ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-2350989401541331532020-06-24T18:24:00.000-04:002020-06-24T18:24:26.650-04:00Video of The Color of My Blood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pUz1LQyFnYM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pUz1LQyFnYM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-6986429586120831782020-06-16T18:06:00.001-04:002020-06-16T18:06:35.706-04:00The Color Of My Blood<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-align: center;">
<br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The shape of my eyes,</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">the sound of my voice,</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">the shade of my skin,</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">my sexuality.</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The color of my blood</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">the same </span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">as yours.</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you saw the light in my
eyes,</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">if you saw my mother's tears,</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">if you felt her fears,</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">grief engraved on her
skin.</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Would you have yanked me</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">like a weed from the<br />
garden of life,<br />
Would you have shattered<br />
me in pieces<br />
leaving me<br />
to bleed out in the dark.<br />
Ideologies differ,<br />
dreams unalike,<br />
my diversity<br />
makes me<br />
unique, <br />
beautiful,<br />
majestic,<br />
a beacon in the fiber<br />
of humanity.<br />
The shape of my eyes,<br />
the sound of my voice,<br />
the shade of my skin,<br />
my sexuality.<br />
The color of my blood<br />
same as yours. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am re-posting this poem that I dedicated to the victims of the Pulse nightclub. I want to share it for Tuesday Pride. We must have a voice for all the voiceless. </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-17741747355981419502020-06-07T19:49:00.002-04:002020-06-07T19:49:41.993-04:00The Next Genertaion Indie Book Award<div class="_6a _5u5j _6b">
<h6 class="_7tae _14f3 _14f5 _5pbw _5vra" data-ft="{"tn":"C"}" id="js_92">
<span class="fwn fcg"><span class="fwb fcg" data-ft="{"tn":"k"}"><a data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard-referer="ARTESf91IFXSSZH95qslqogbXd6wYZuobIW3j9O_ytryponi7d5OeVIEj03kH-iFGqQ" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=774746375936975&extragetparams=%7B%22__tn__%22%3A%22%2CdkC-R-R%22%2C%22eid%22%3A%22ARDPGja9-QFNzYe0C-GjZG_3f2RflcAj1cFqXqZ1VtQxJwVMjdDW5dVnWWjTjE3xQtgCdDWsXtiVEkbM%22%2C%22hc_ref%22%3A%22ARTESf91IFXSSZH95qslqogbXd6wYZuobIW3j9O_ytryponi7d5OeVIEj03kH-iFGqQ%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22nf%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/GoldenDragonflyPress/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARDPGja9-QFNzYe0C-GjZG_3f2RflcAj1cFqXqZ1VtQxJwVMjdDW5dVnWWjTjE3xQtgCdDWsXtiVEkbM&hc_ref=ARTESf91IFXSSZH95qslqogbXd6wYZuobIW3j9O_ytryponi7d5OeVIEj03kH-iFGqQ&fref=nf&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCajTY3GRKzKu1N-VrnI9o0Pplw86I97G2i1ysPoKQRsdEkz4sxl3BmdaUhisSkuCorWP2Yp8OPGx07n2zTa0CQwxgmzQfAM6nONHd5n8hI_BLTHLvbv5QsrFz5k_oQuT09IwHChXncP4zFyEf9wvlijU47T-mEUBWkS6z6eR16M13aPCek9hR-Brok0736zYh7CjKA_igXhi0854aNZ7FDkARAfpFBdeAJ9qJZkEf64rFyGlhZ0xMLukSG1Bx7O9Ht6Tc7k6Zowpgrz-UKjw0Yg9eLGL-9KRZcskOMoGE2ySFKQwp9AC4xlRGvABlVtiCWaIFHBFxUm4JbLNDKQv47Zg">Golden Dragonfly Press</a></span></span></h6>
<div class="_5pcp _5lel _2jyu _232_" data-testid="story-subtitle" id="feed_subtitle_774746375936975:5499113398720771048">
<span class="c_owhnns--1"><span class="fsm fwn fcg"><a class="_5pcq" href="https://www.facebook.com/GoldenDragonflyPress/photos/a.784808251597454/3007721765972747/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCajTY3GRKzKu1N-VrnI9o0Pplw86I97G2i1ysPoKQRsdEkz4sxl3BmdaUhisSkuCorWP2Yp8OPGx07n2zTa0CQwxgmzQfAM6nONHd5n8hI_BLTHLvbv5QsrFz5k_oQuT09IwHChXncP4zFyEf9wvlijU47T-mEUBWkS6z6eR16M13aPCek9hR-Brok0736zYh7CjKA_igXhi0854aNZ7FDkARAfpFBdeAJ9qJZkEf64rFyGlhZ0xMLukSG1Bx7O9Ht6Tc7k6Zowpgrz-UKjw0Yg9eLGL-9KRZcskOMoGE2ySFKQwp9AC4xlRGvABlVtiCWaIFHBFxUm4JbLNDKQv47Zg&__tn__=-R" rel="theater" target=""><abbr class="_5ptz timestamp livetimestamp" data-shorten="1" data-utime="1591549293" title="Sunday, June 7, 2020 at 1:01 PM"><span class="timestampContent" id="js_93">6 hrs</span></abbr></a></span></span><span aria-hidden="true" class="_6spk" role="presentation"> · </span></div>
</div>
<div class="_5pbx userContent _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_94">
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_5edd7c7ca62045153143133">
<span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t8c/1/16/1f389.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">🎉</span></span> Congratulations Ayala! <span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t8c/1/16/1f389.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">🎉</span></span><br />
"Second Chances: Poetry from a Sun-Kissed Life" by Ayala Zarfjian was
selected as the WINNER of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the
POETRY category.<br /> <span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><br /> All proceeds donated to charity.<br /> Learn More:<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fa%2F8366%2F9781732577299%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3TmXHb80ks2tiZz0MOpY3pcJa8Sid1sfBFVSsJhWbdD3Lr1WAg2ZSOTMg&h=AT2rMFuSxIhxDWO9LEAkXTO6KnBKesoBuhbGW4sIep4tbVMrKhzexvAGZyD40Kk4dPjMfLaTBGy4IFHyz6LEFWJHO9nRz7ICAU4Dc1B55V7uCltobhUQ8EO7t1xYoiFSEaZRLEmSSFNSLyic3ZybZgoQDpXM1-EGpKMMdom8dCgNHapJLZiQMxvibaXzRVpASqF7VN15PAvOL7afu_qc4Oi6IRykCrDu0ywtjyGJNIVwiW3jTS9wsNTZ4pnaEShUOqZ6nKKzrC_gqqzCF9-hDJAXsExEYacRCfwEVr3NOySMaPDi2T8Ct1Sb1LOUe3jTb7gWMd8SM0MbcbzbbJ-TRTqILLbRc8B5e-UQj0vq3KtXeKfsoRrLcVYdERJtCC_3lvwuaaHVMTQxdQbSEIxsb-Aen1JF5qT20DweQOuhN2fNTW2ZT3FPns4ByMJEsrFSKPiphkCha1MZCe5wN_LN1-hOBnUWjfQef4QvZOMhUlJvVEaRZ6rcoiPu8KT0mx3qLXTMyhzXiQTYk13ZGvFJs1o-EFP7B9efdNakhShNLBzeudkyz9vOC6XnetNV8HYa9UCUFw4OaX6p6r66-DAP7qOqOaD_XS0nOeduxPi0T2ILSpjJnAoQy1szsyduxHJJgXFlVkKW0W5A9Qun1d4G_LZ2" href="https://bookshop.org/a/8366/9781732577299?fbclid=IwAR3TmXHb80ks2tiZz0MOpY3pcJa8Sid1sfBFVSsJhWbdD3Lr1WAg2ZSOTMg" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://bookshop.org/a/8366/9781732577299</a><br /> <span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb4/1/16/2b50.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">⭐</span></span><br /> For more Award Winners & Finalists:<br /> <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Flists%2Faward-winners-finalists%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2DTVt46K2mdNS1DrqWYRrMDKyzp2jj70PaSByEOLmAKWgKLJED6lbWOzg&h=AT1A9okB_zlLdPvLjR_M9s_G3VH5t8GcZO2sWWLkWtUyDEhWTSbb6dOA83r2nW2dcWrztkS-MFJJV-R8PnKgUgqJBdWwVDZWZQcxPP1kpSeS3BIocnm9e0iK7yLRzKmPLiAq_-37W91Mo5p0Yqc03idS4UlsP7Xit2dCF-zIn7aL-_At3SG0MLLuhc5G_Z7SZ7fvcoVWnyrTUL0X3-FGdqI9Nouo4GVb3q_f2qQmWdY1FvO1niaa535V85ILvlalXUQ47cc6ZbLOK74nGjaslnPADtk2ooD82dtmWDmlZlXFAZ7wEKua2-yN4YpyXSB6AZyRZFVlpVUI__Lw6FYr1coY1UyQyf88nwlM2uj4AsxMcA_e-qfvr1WFroS0beZz3wiUc1G3-frITks8D-gNvNmlJD7ZJv2ANyaKsKveoi0teqt0v8PFY3l_UzSRLQ4WkYf6t3sSTHuKTYQimCocejFUvkvnbWY1b87d_kukfCgoUhT_Mg1Qw_lbQrgs_3AlwJDbFEARE6F290xnwDFthO3z5fABSXdGDfsxFQODs6hTfkUC0NNaxGQ--lr0Oi-zE7a1GNw3ebIXv0i8I31unUzR1xwZsQ9gYBQfrUtEZC9ixCisQU4bFlN8VQHkED4rkyBMskdDiOzrUClRMEhaFpde" href="https://bookshop.org/lists/award-winners-finalists?fbclid=IwAR2DTVt46K2mdNS1DrqWYRrMDKyzp2jj70PaSByEOLmAKWgKLJED6lbWOzg" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://bookshop.org/lists/award-winners-finalists</a></span></div>
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ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-21958954730408167742020-05-24T16:09:00.001-04:002020-05-24T16:09:35.957-04:00Sophia Brianna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Z0lwCpV3vPBr-ewm7NEk7LwWl7VnOXAInNVNv0LlmUx5JxMmI5ypZbReGWeXLAc7v44Bh6P0wa74vfCwe_Rl7ZTMtaf0CPYKuZCOZsZjtH1jTJABd5IfbpSHGR-j74UnZK1s3S3NePc/s1600/22B0C90C-AA96-4303-8684-2E3ED469ABE2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Z0lwCpV3vPBr-ewm7NEk7LwWl7VnOXAInNVNv0LlmUx5JxMmI5ypZbReGWeXLAc7v44Bh6P0wa74vfCwe_Rl7ZTMtaf0CPYKuZCOZsZjtH1jTJABd5IfbpSHGR-j74UnZK1s3S3NePc/s320/22B0C90C-AA96-4303-8684-2E3ED469ABE2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Little darling,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
your crown shimmers in the light.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
How gentle yet fierce you are.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
No traces of defiance on </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
your face,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
only evidence of clarity and courage.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A fearlessness that is born</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from knowing in your marrow,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
your identity </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and your purpose.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The trees sway as you walk</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
among them.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They whisper sweet lullabies</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in your ears.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The moon dances</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to your inner light.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Your body flows.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Your heart expands with love.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Your crown lighting your way</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
like a lantern in the night.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My sweet granddaughter was born March 19 in the midst of the pandemic. Both her parents are doctors. It's a challenging time. There are so many wishes that I wish for her during these blurry and uncertain times. The day she was born she brought her light into our dark days. </div>
ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-47958432325040326032019-12-29T17:58:00.000-05:002019-12-29T17:59:33.398-05:00Juden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJiITE9wKa_tJxsN4H7A0r_co3adNHFJccEmGLc1IbyVsAMQzq8ZgCOy5Cqf6PbB3PfFBUQZi8UPtwhPKwMwC5k0gL8TK13I4AIEmqdOSfIcsUmnf8CHaJjscfap-zPR21cvAhsePFBY/s1600/star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="91" data-original-width="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJiITE9wKa_tJxsN4H7A0r_co3adNHFJccEmGLc1IbyVsAMQzq8ZgCOy5Cqf6PbB3PfFBUQZi8UPtwhPKwMwC5k0gL8TK13I4AIEmqdOSfIcsUmnf8CHaJjscfap-zPR21cvAhsePFBY/s1600/star.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Tolerance,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
compassion,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
inclusion. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Don't be fooled</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by the words uttered,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
by the words articulated.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We are slaughtered in the streets,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
blood stains on the pavements,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in the synagogues,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in our neighborhoods. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Tolerance,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
compassion,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
inclusion,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
don't be fooled by the chatter.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hatred is sprouting,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
growing,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
flowing,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
igniting like wildfire.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My father threatened to sit shiva</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
when I left.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I made him into Tevye. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Grandma warned me</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that one day my love </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
would call me a dirty Jew.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
She said it would come on a day</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
when life was grey,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and hard words are exchanged.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Words that wound.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Words that leave scars.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My father was a boy,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
with hazel eyes</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and black wavy hair.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He laid on the ground and drank</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from puddles,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
while frogs watched him </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and rifles were pointing close by.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He was just a boy...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I made him into Tevye .</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I wore a cross in my heart,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
he looked away. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He did not sit Shiva when I left.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He did not rip his clothes in mourning.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Instead, he just loved me. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Memory resided on his skin,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in his eyes,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in his voice.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was handed down in my veins,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in my blood.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In dreams that I dreamt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
as a child.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I am bathing in the breath</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
of all that was</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and all that remains.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Amid all the noise,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I stand,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a yellow star on my chest.<br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler_on_the_Roof">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler_on_the_Roof</a> </div>
<br />ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-83513058633807997912019-09-28T16:12:00.002-04:002019-09-28T16:12:23.168-04:00What If I Forget<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxk1jN4dFiGETaMOqssFX4skNarDlrStQyk_V7qEiOYTSiIxctVqbCMD3Nu8JI8-Xi5Aczb2acL9676yNMjVw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-57001642455878407572019-08-09T19:54:00.000-04:002019-08-09T19:54:07.986-04:00 College Bound Out Of The Nest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRo0gPi8wspzULsy8J482Brr6sEQR2zjcNZe1Ixv7pI5v2TuUBjSIynyLX9OFxpuvTGQ_GWdcoRCmOMp5fJu9cF2Zchu4UYcW5jSswPEx1iGDN92A5dxpw84oRlFG19mPkJRmuXOZC-a0/s1600/IMG_2764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRo0gPi8wspzULsy8J482Brr6sEQR2zjcNZe1Ixv7pI5v2TuUBjSIynyLX9OFxpuvTGQ_GWdcoRCmOMp5fJu9cF2Zchu4UYcW5jSswPEx1iGDN92A5dxpw84oRlFG19mPkJRmuXOZC-a0/s320/IMG_2764.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We walk at the edge,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
on the road </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
of hopes and dreams, </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
the past holding the present</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
hand in hand.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The now reaching,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
stretching to tomorrow.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Threads woven into a rich tapestry</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
of small moments magnified,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
wisdom and simplicity,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
our story,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
our life.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Your wide eyes dancing as an infant,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
your mischievous laughter as a toddler,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
your defining steps as a man.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Loud noises quiet down in my head,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
my sadness softens</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
from the expectations and desires </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
of all your tomorrows.</div>
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Tides and time go on,</div>
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they wait for no one. </div>
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All I wish is for you to</div>
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soak it all in and</div>
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chase your dreams,</div>
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climb to meet them </div>
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and create your vision. </div>
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As you walk your path</div>
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you will never be alone. </div>
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Know that you are loved,</div>
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know that you are cherished. </div>
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ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-88262554000439159562019-07-21T13:29:00.001-04:002019-07-22T17:15:52.727-04:00Wild Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIgbXbSStvmn_PBaIV_gplBjAzIWHXhMSCa2jvFNxzTLMYjBIL_BG54ZnKtIy4GqDv6Ini8ET3OyY5p2vBm3zJs4DNAMD4U25z73Cc3q50FOOURa7LSNZVi3ZD887I4VWf3KfkFOZi9w/s1600/DSC00046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIgbXbSStvmn_PBaIV_gplBjAzIWHXhMSCa2jvFNxzTLMYjBIL_BG54ZnKtIy4GqDv6Ini8ET3OyY5p2vBm3zJs4DNAMD4U25z73Cc3q50FOOURa7LSNZVi3ZD887I4VWf3KfkFOZi9w/s320/DSC00046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have wild love for the universe,<br />
the blades of grass under my feet,<br />
the owl whose glance I meet.<br />
I have wild love for the light that dances<br />
through my window<br />
and enters a place beyond the darkness<br />
of my closed eyelids.</div>
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A place that touches my soul<br />
and makes my heart beat faster.<br />
I have wild love for the thirst<br />
that is the rhythm in which I live in this world,<br />
my wings like the hawk’s,<br />
sweeping,<br />
spreading,<br />
stretching,<br />
always seeking more.<br />
A student of the earth,<br />
a traveler in this universe, <br />
my heart open,<br />
expanding my circle,<br />
expanding my breath,</div>
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pursuing a place of peace.</div>
ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077596651922595536.post-82111630214991983142019-07-14T13:55:00.000-04:002019-07-14T13:55:10.615-04:00Blame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDyCXc4yN81eMnwpTNrVH7ywGq3s9kbc7WKbytSvADbsX7i5DEyDq5OjyUwhM76i9pRssu7n37xzWWCMAaGG5nSlKjS33NYgd1S_RG6czkDYgRSRfb7g7JXDFYvKmNDaLx4NCxvHxMrE/s1600/DSC00179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDyCXc4yN81eMnwpTNrVH7ywGq3s9kbc7WKbytSvADbsX7i5DEyDq5OjyUwhM76i9pRssu7n37xzWWCMAaGG5nSlKjS33NYgd1S_RG6czkDYgRSRfb7g7JXDFYvKmNDaLx4NCxvHxMrE/s320/DSC00179.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The blow was thunderous,</div>
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landing on the right side </div>
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of my head ferociously.</div>
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His fist heavy,</div>
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his aim direct,</div>
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my head swaying</div>
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like a seesaw on</div>
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a stormy day. </div>
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A tremor,</div>
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a quake,</div>
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spreading,</div>
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shifting the balance of life.</div>
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The right hemisphere</div>
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in a fog,</div>
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in oblivion of</div>
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words drifting,</div>
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poetry fading,</div>
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fading,</div>
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lost.</div>
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Baby weeping,</div>
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walls shaking,</div>
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tears falling,</div>
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television sounds in the distance.</div>
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Did I blame myself,</div>
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for raising my voice?</div>
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When he assaulted boundaries drawn?</div>
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My eyes raging,</div>
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my eyes bulging, </div>
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wounded. </div>
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Baby weeping,</div>
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walls shaking,</div>
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tears falling,</div>
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television sounds in the distance.</div>
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Did I blame myself for his anger?</div>
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His abandonment?</div>
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His isolation?</div>
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I fell from the clouds </div>
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into unfamiliar darkness.</div>
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Baby weeping,</div>
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walls shaking,</div>
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tears falling,</div>
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television sounds in the distance.</div>
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Did I blame myself?</div>
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I did.</div>
<br />ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13243362803799877014noreply@blogger.com30