Poetica Magazine Contemporary Jewish Writing

Herbert Levine’s first book of bi-lingual poems, Words for Blessing the World (Ben Yehuda Press, 2017) seeks a meeting ground in Hebrew and English for poems that are at once spiritual and secular. His second bi-lingual volume, An Added Soul, will be published in 2020.

Diaspora Hymn
Herb Levine

From across the sea they brought

their heavy utensils, mortar and pestle,

reminding them of familiar spices,

cinnamon, cloves and also chopped nuts,

could not abide again being strangers,

expected nothing from these gentiles

among whom they peddled to earn their living,

would never trust them, never believe that

one day, their grandchildren would marry them,

invite them to chop nuts

in grandma's mortar and pestle,

light holiday candles with them

and walk with them out of Egypt,

opening wide their doors

to love.

Mizmor L'David Anthology