Pardes Dressed In Shadows

sister, what do you see
when you look at me, hurt, angry, in misery and trouble
shattered and torn, shut off, isolated, alone, weak and broken down
soul bound, to a place beyond the mind, wrapped all around
drawn in, an eternally collapsing nothing, huddled in the corner, almost
yet surviving reverberating assaults hurled down the line
bound bound bound bound bound bound bound
writ beyond reason, a token of Torah, side by side with empty words
deserted, forgotten and despised
sister, what do you see
when you look at me, hurt, angry, troubled with misery
is my prayer strange, foreign to you
this howling desolation, how do you hear it in your ear
affliction covered, like dust, despair incensing the air
telling of it, another world beckoning
the only true embrace caressing this broken soul
from a universe, a world, a reality, somewhere known
sister, sister, can you see
can you see the pain that ails me, witnessed
by the stars, by eyes gathered in heaven, by the endless sea
by the mouse that runs across the floor
sister, what do you see when you look at me

Writing On The Wall

what letters can tell
what words are worthy, to hold the story
the melody that plays the heart
softly, gently
fluid lights strumming notes with broken vessels
see it sounding, the silent utterance bursting full
with sweet contentment
what letters can be faithful to this rhythm
making life a monochrome rhapsody of colors
splendors laced with glory wine
waters in motion, behind the echo, echoless, timeless
ever flowing drops into thirsting dust
natural, ineffable light and dark, a breathing harmony
in the eyes of children, in weathered faces
filling up crying places
with hope, real and deeply present
what words are worthy to tell
of these wondrous times

Suddenly - B'Hesech HaDaat

hey you, what are you looking at
the mouse seemed to say silently, to me one day
hidden in the closet, coming close to see
where land meets sea, isolating some field of awareness
distracting the mind toward some special duty
hey you, what did you say
you talkin' to me?

hey you, what do you hear
the mouse seemed to say silently, to me one day
hidden in the closet, coming close to hear
wandering around this anomaly of conversation, suddenly plucked up
toward the task at hand, wiping off all others
hey you, do you hear what I hear
who goes there, talkin' to me