5 toward the Omer

hod shebchesed
(humility in lovingkindness)

I named breath in my
daily intention and breathe was

what I could do in

my blue bedroom rocking chair,
here, when you were there

4 toward the Omer

Netzach shebchesed

Weary, shirtless, he walks
back into the kitchen,
opens the fridge door,
pours apple juice into

the tinted plastic cup,
adds water, closes all
except his own eyes,
climbs the stairs, gives

3 toward the Omer #3

I dream of
a friend I

can't get to
agree to my

help, wake in
my sore body

3 toward the Omer

My hand sweats
onto the page

before this one,
pulling it back

to make room
for me to

see what it
is I'm writing

2 toward the Omer

gevurah shebchesed

Seldom thanked,
resident anesthesiologists

puncture us
safe from

other pains,
sleep us

toward a
new awakeness

1 toward the Omer

chesed shebchesed

As
if
I

had
come
out

from
there
to

as
if
you

had
come
out

from
there
to

pre-Pesach poem 5776

Swept-up crumbs,
burnt, leave no path
to be eaten by gulls

I cast around for
the next words
to lay under me

Ahead, last year's
days, around again