17 toward the Omer

tiferet shebitferet
WA-MT

Just half a day gone and so glad to see clouds, to find, after no mountain, mountain

11-16 toward the Omer

Data: Client came to session and stated “I have less than
one week left in Seattle.” Client reported that she and her partner
started packing on Friday. Client shared that the living tree outside her office
she had once thought was dead is now pressing small leaves against the window.

Assessment: Client is not in crisis at this time. Client’s strengths include experience with transitions.

Plan: Continue to plant rainbows and water trees. Support client in finding more balance. Schedule assessment/update.

10 toward the Omer

Psychic insight becomes possible upon three things: knowledge, stamina, friendship

9 toward the Omer

gevurah shebchesed
In memory of my grandmother, Sylvia Greenfield Moses, z”l

Strength in discipline today means I must move on
—not from you—from this—I promise I still
love you, just as your love still loves me

8 toward the Omer

chesed shebigvurah

My stomach constricts: the first bite of bagel
Let that love live under the surface, unrisen
Overflowing cups stain the skirts of white dresses
Rather walk through dunes than face the horizon
Narrow channels allow for cry out and respond
With vocal cords wide only soundless air comes
The cat pushes his body into the computer:
Zeke, carving a way through, if I’ll take it

7 toward the Omer

malkhut shebchesed

Not knowing what to I do

6 toward the Omer

yesod shebchesed

A lovely day of the basics

5 toward the Omer

hod shebchesed

Dry near the muddy edge
of the water above them

I do not want to
tell myself for my sake

or I am but ashes
I reach both hands down

toward the thin creased pieces
of parchment my fingers find

nothing it seems that someone
did not see fit to

give women pockets but I
cannot wait for man or

manna to judge my worth
I choose splendor and humble

find my tambourine move my
feet stumble dance creating dust

4 toward the Omer

netzach shebchesed

whenever I forget a
person’s name and say
it’s not personal I
know it really is

but it’s more than
that or less as
Elisha told me after
Shabbat lunch in some

context “I have an
eidetic memory for what
my mind decides is
important but can’t choose”

Jen almost steps on
the light gray dead
mouse by the curb
and we startle and

I start to image
waterfalls and we look
at the eastern mountains
and Jen says “Dead

mouse over the mountains”
Having missed Hallel in
services I walk down
the street I repeat

what I remember Hodu
lAdonai ki tov ki
leolam chasdo ki leolam
chasdo ki leolam chasdo

3 toward the Omer

tiferet shebchesed

Three weeks ago
at the ecstatic
dance we kept

space in be
tween us that

was part of
what we could
give to each

other I have
never held you

so very close
hugging all those
armfuls of air

2 toward the Omer

gevurah shebchesed

Don’t worry
about me
sitting over
here in
the dark
with these
light shards
scattered all
around just
where you
left them
when you
decided I
needed you
gone in
order to
be but
had you
asked me
first about
your whole
tsimtsum plan
I would
have said
what ridiculous
over abundant
loving kindness

1 toward the Omer

chesed shebchesed

the
wait
for
the
wait
is
over


rain
when
dew
was
asked
for

me
when
you





holding,
held


four
girls
throw
lettuce

to
keep
bitter

a
lettuce’s
throw
away

Pre-Pesach poem

so many ways
to lie on the bed, to
rush to the door what
feels a second too late,

to let the myrrh
bleed out, to search
and be beaten
in the searching

so many ways
to send out the soul

so easy
to be whole
and not know it