Today marks Day 27 of the Slice of Life challenge. Join me as I work to write every day in March – and beyond!
There’s something to be said, she thought,
as she leaned back in her chair,
looked around at the too-small gathering
and gulped that last bit of wine,
for the metaphor of Passover:
a release from plague,
a liberation,
a freedom from bondage
a rebirth,
a journey that lasts
far beyond anyone’s expectations:
the crossing through desert
anxious, impatient, antsy
the wandering, wondering
without end insight
save
the occasional mirage –
Yes, she assured herself,
as she signed off her Zoom connection,
there has to be some parallel,
if only I could think of what it was…
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 
I was hoping you’d write about Passover – and this is a gem. Oh, the fabulous truth of those metaphorical ending lines, signing off from Zoom!! PRICELESS. Plague, release, bondage, journey longer than anyone expected, wandering, wandering… “there is nothing new under the sun.” I smile at the metaphor and at the same time, I feel the weight of it on multiple levels. The too-small gathering…yet there is one; this sacred tradition and its thanksgiving continue as it always has. I virtually toast you and your gifts of words, wit, and heritage, Lainie. Passover blessings. ❤
Thank you, Fran. The more I read these comments, the more I’m thinking that there is room to explore these metaphors more deeply. I’m thinking especially about those years wandering in the desert. Gonna have to carry that in my pocket for a while.
I so get that, Lainie. How laden are my own pockets!
Thank you for sharing these beautiful words. We are still “wandering, wondering without end insight” and then you add the occasional mirage. I like what you did there. So much to ponder.
What a perfect comparison. We are as lost and wandering as anyone. Who knows when this this journey will end; we just know that it will.
Or…we’ll just start a new one. Realized of course, that there’s LOTS more to explore – I mean, the dynamic of wandering in the desert, with people losing patience and not knowing who to trust…yeah. Story is story is story…
yes, the parallels are striking, especially “anxious, impatient, antsy”. These capture the current moment perfectly.
Thank you! I realized, of course, that there were LOTS more metaphors to explore. So now the hard part is letting this poem stand as I wrote it…
I love the analogies you draw! “The crossing through desert
anxious, impatient, antsy
the wandering, wondering
without end insight
save
the occasional mirage” This could be about 2020!
It is! It is! =))
I enjoyed reading this- very thought provoking.
Thank you!
There are so many parallels! “the wandering, wondering
without end insight” – yes! I think we are close, though? I sure hope so!
We can ONLY hope…
Thank you for this poem. Saving and sharing.
Thank you! Glad it resonated with you.
Introspective and reflective Lainie! Well done! I think there are many parallels. I especially like this stanza –
the crossing through desert
anxious, impatient, antsy
the wandering, wondering
without end insight
save
the occasional mirage
Sometimes, I wonder if all of life is just a mirage. Is what we see really there? I’m not so sure!
Thanks!
Thanks for the encouragement. As for the reality bit, that’s a BIG question. I was just listening to Neil DeGrasse Tyson and his podcast guest talking about multiverses and infinite infinities (say that five times fast). It’s mind-blowing to think that our reality may be different from how we actually perceive it to be. It shakes our ground. Then again, maybe we need some ground-shaking every so often…
Oh, how beautiful. I’ve come back to read this several times. I’m thinking of so many things now. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! I still feel like there’s more to explore – but that, I guess, is why we tell the story every year. We get more out of the telling with each year of experience.
So. Many. Parallels. I also read this a few times to let it sink in. How did you pack so much food for thought in your lines? Just perfection.
Wow, thanks! Here I was thinking and wishing I had dug a little deeper. I’m glad to know it resonated with you!
This is very interesting with so much food for thought. I was going to try and make an in depth comment, but I think I’ll just leave it with the others who have said so much of value!
Thanks! I appreciate the encouragement.
If nothing else, the intensity of the past year has made apparent so many metaphors. Not many as eloquently put as this one, but there have been a lot. Every new “springtime” experience is one for me. Thank you for this.