#shadorma — Public Fediverse posts

Dedushka, or: Saba

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

oldest child
born in poverty
raised at a
children's home
because his parents couldn't
afford to feed him

hunger pangs
caught with potatoes
left behind
on the field
shipped off to fight the Nazis
without a weapon

at the front
fell in a meat wave
stabbed at war
through the calf
by Germans probing corpses
crawled back through the night

taught himself
how to speak Russian
for college
self-made man
became the chief engineer
at a major plant

in Vilnius
under Soviets
my Saba
a proud Yid
hired Refusenik engineers
fired for Jewish souls

gave up his
party membership
cursed the damned
Communists
for antisemitism—and
moved to Israel

oldest child
caught with potatoes
stabbed at war
self-made man
hired Refusenik engineers
moved to Israel

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Robbie encourages us to compose syllabic poems that includes a story. My above shadorma is about my grandfather (saba).

My grandfather grew up very poor, was forced to fight the Nazis in World War II without a weapon, and was badly wounded; but he survived and taught himself Russian so he could become a top engineer in Soviet Lithuania.

Even when the government threatened him, he kept hiring Jewish engineers who were punished for applying for exit visas to Israel. In the end, he gave up his cursed the antisemitism around him, Communist Party membership, and moved with his family to Israel.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

Dedushka, or: Saba

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

oldest child
born in poverty
raised at a
children's home
because his parents couldn't
afford to feed him

hunger pangs
caught with potatoes
left behind
on the field
shipped off to fight the Nazis
without a weapon

at the front
fell in a meat wave
stabbed at war
through the calf
by Germans probing corpses
crawled back through the night

taught himself
how to speak Russian
for college
self-made man
became the chief engineer
at a major plant

in Vilnius
under Soviets
my Saba
a proud Yid
hired Refusenik engineers
fired for Jewish souls

gave up his
party membership
cursed the damned
Communists
for antisemitism—and
moved to Israel

oldest child
caught with potatoes
stabbed at war
self-made man
hired Refusenik engineers
moved to Israel

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Robbie encourages us to compose syllabic poems that includes a story. My above shadorma is about my grandfather (saba).

My grandfather grew up very poor, was forced to fight the Nazis in World War II without a weapon, and was badly wounded; but he survived and taught himself Russian so he could become a top engineer in Soviet Lithuania.

Even when the government threatened him, he kept hiring Jewish engineers who were punished for applying for exit visas to Israel. In the end, he gave up his cursed the antisemitism around him, Communist Party membership, and moved with his family to Israel.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

Dedushka, or: Saba

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

oldest child
born in poverty
raised at a
children's home
because his parents couldn't
afford to feed him

hunger pangs
caught with potatoes
left behind
on the field
shipped off to fight the Nazis
without a weapon

at the front
fell in a meat wave
stabbed at war
through the calf
by Germans probing corpses
crawled back through the night

taught himself
how to speak Russian
for college
self-made man
became the chief engineer
at a major plant

in Vilnius
under Soviets
my Saba
a proud Yid
hired Refusenik engineers
fired for Jewish souls

gave up his
party membership
cursed the damned
Communists
for antisemitism—and
moved to Israel

oldest child
caught with potatoes
stabbed at war
self-made man
hired Refusenik engineers
moved to Israel

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Robbie encourages us to compose syllabic poems that includes a story. My above shadorma is about my grandfather (saba).

My grandfather grew up very poor, was forced to fight the Nazis in World War II without a weapon, and was badly wounded; but he survived and taught himself Russian so he could become a top engineer in Soviet Lithuania.

Even when the government threatened him, he kept hiring Jewish engineers who were punished for applying for exit visas to Israel. In the end, he gave up his cursed the antisemitism around him, Communist Party membership, and moved with his family to Israel.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

Dedushka, or: Saba

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

oldest child
born in poverty
raised at a
children's home
because his parents couldn't
afford to feed him

hunger pangs
caught with potatoes
left behind
on the field
shipped off to fight the Nazis
without a weapon

at the front
fell in a meat wave
stabbed at war
through the calf
by Germans probing corpses
crawled back through the night

taught himself
how to speak Russian
for college
self-made man
became the chief engineer
at a major plant

in Vilnius
under Soviets
my Saba
a proud Yid
hired Refusenik engineers
fired for Jewish souls

gave up his
party membership
cursed the damned
Communists
for antisemitism—and
moved to Israel

oldest child
caught with potatoes
stabbed at war
self-made man
hired Refusenik engineers
moved to Israel

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Robbie encourages us to compose syllabic poems that includes a story. My above shadorma is about my grandfather (saba).

My grandfather grew up very poor, was forced to fight the Nazis in World War II without a weapon, and was badly wounded; but he survived and taught himself Russian so he could become a top engineer in Soviet Lithuania.

Even when the government threatened him, he kept hiring Jewish engineers who were punished for applying for exit visas to Israel. In the end, he gave up his cursed the antisemitism around him, Communist Party membership, and moved with his family to Israel.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

Dedushka, or: Saba

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

oldest child
born in poverty
raised at a
children's home
because his parents couldn't
afford to feed him

hunger pangs
caught with potatoes
left behind
on the field
shipped off to fight the Nazis
without a weapon

at the front
fell in a meat wave
stabbed at war
through the calf
by Germans probing corpses
crawled back through the night

taught himself
how to speak Russian
for college
self-made man
became the chief engineer
at a major plant

in Vilnius
under Soviets
my Saba
a proud Yid
hired Refusenik engineers
fired for Jewish souls

gave up his
party membership
cursed the damned
Communists
for antisemitism—and
moved to Israel

oldest child
caught with potatoes
stabbed at war
self-made man
hired Refusenik engineers
moved to Israel

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Robbie encourages us to compose syllabic poems that includes a story. My above shadorma is about my grandfather (saba).

My grandfather grew up very poor, was forced to fight the Nazis in World War II without a weapon, and was badly wounded; but he survived and taught himself Russian so he could become a top engineer in Soviet Lithuania.

Even when the government threatened him, he kept hiring Jewish engineers who were punished for applying for exit visas to Israel. In the end, he gave up his cursed the antisemitism around him, Communist Party membership, and moved with his family to Israel.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

Scattered tongues, or: If I forget thee

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

midnight flights 
cracked heels crossed Sudan 
mothers prayed 
stars concealed 
trembling elders kissed the ground
Zion after storms

eagles’ wings
sea salt and deserts
Aden called
sandstorms passed
old caravan hymns endured
the sky roads opened

ash-choked trains
numbered arms recalled
exiles rose
ships arrived
displaced children spoke again
names returned ashore

Tigris dusk
courtyard lamps faded
passports stamped
children borne
tears by Babylon’s waters
locked homes gathered dust

winter queues
visa refusals
gray buildings
mouthed Hebrew
each scattered tongue remembers
snow melted slowly

banks collapsed
Buenos Aires mourned
glass shattered
sirens wailed
Spanish carried Sabbath songs
our Jerusalem

midnight flights
sea salt and deserts
exiles rose
children borne
each scattered tongue remembers
our Jerusalem

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Yvette encourages us to compose resilience-themed syllabic poems. My above shadorma is about the resilience of Jews from around the world who repatriated to our ancient homeland under difficult and often dangerous circumstances.

The first stanza is about Ethiopian Jews who crossed Sudan and were flown to Israel in secret rescue missions. The second stanza is about Yemenite Jews who traveled through deserts and through Aden before flying to Israel. The third stanza is about Holocaust survivors who came to Israel after surviving Nazi camps and war.

The fourth stanza is about Iraqi Jews who were forced to leave behind their ancient homes and communities in Babylon and Iraq. The fifth stanza is about Soviet Jews who kept Jewish identity and Hebrew alive even when the Soviet Union tried to suppress it. The sixth stanza is about Argentine Jews facing terror attacks and economic collapse while still carrying Jewish traditions with them.

The final stanza brings all the journeys together into one shared story of exile, survival, memory, and return to Jerusalem.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

Scattered tongues, or: If I forget thee

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

midnight flights 
cracked heels crossed Sudan 
mothers prayed 
stars concealed 
trembling elders kissed the ground
Zion after storms

eagles’ wings
sea salt and deserts
Aden called
sandstorms passed
old caravan hymns endured
the sky roads opened

ash-choked trains
numbered arms recalled
exiles rose
ships arrived
displaced children spoke again
names returned ashore

Tigris dusk
courtyard lamps faded
passports stamped
children borne
tears by Babylon’s waters
locked homes gathered dust

winter queues
visa refusals
gray buildings
mouthed Hebrew
each scattered tongue remembers
snow melted slowly

banks collapsed
Buenos Aires mourned
glass shattered
sirens wailed
Spanish carried Sabbath songs
our Jerusalem

midnight flights
sea salt and deserts
exiles rose
children borne
each scattered tongue remembers
our Jerusalem

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Yvette encourages us to compose resilience-themed syllabic poems. My above shadorma is about the resilience of Jews from around the world who repatriated to our ancient homeland under difficult and often dangerous circumstances.

The first stanza is about Ethiopian Jews who crossed Sudan and were flown to Israel in secret rescue missions. The second stanza is about Yemenite Jews who traveled through deserts and through Aden before flying to Israel. The third stanza is about Holocaust survivors who came to Israel after surviving Nazi camps and war.

The fourth stanza is about Iraqi Jews who were forced to leave behind their ancient homes and communities in Babylon and Iraq. The fifth stanza is about Soviet Jews who kept Jewish identity and Hebrew alive even when the Soviet Union tried to suppress it. The sixth stanza is about Argentine Jews facing terror attacks and economic collapse while still carrying Jewish traditions with them.

The final stanza brings all the journeys together into one shared story of exile, survival, memory, and return to Jerusalem.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

Scattered tongues, or: If I forget thee

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

midnight flights 
cracked heels crossed Sudan 
mothers prayed 
stars concealed 
trembling elders kissed the ground
Zion after storms

eagles’ wings
sea salt and deserts
Aden called
sandstorms passed
old caravan hymns endured
the sky roads opened

ash-choked trains
numbered arms recalled
exiles rose
ships arrived
displaced children spoke again
names returned ashore

Tigris dusk
courtyard lamps faded
passports stamped
children borne
tears by Babylon’s waters
locked homes gathered dust

winter queues
visa refusals
gray buildings
mouthed Hebrew
each scattered tongue remembers
snow melted slowly

banks collapsed
Buenos Aires mourned
glass shattered
sirens wailed
Spanish carried Sabbath songs
our Jerusalem

midnight flights
sea salt and deserts
exiles rose
children borne
each scattered tongue remembers
our Jerusalem

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Yvette encourages us to compose resilience-themed syllabic poems. My above shadorma is about the resilience of Jews from around the world who repatriated to our ancient homeland under difficult and often dangerous circumstances.

The first stanza is about Ethiopian Jews who crossed Sudan and were flown to Israel in secret rescue missions. The second stanza is about Yemenite Jews who traveled through deserts and through Aden before flying to Israel. The third stanza is about Holocaust survivors who came to Israel after surviving Nazi camps and war.

The fourth stanza is about Iraqi Jews who were forced to leave behind their ancient homes and communities in Babylon and Iraq. The fifth stanza is about Soviet Jews who kept Jewish identity and Hebrew alive even when the Soviet Union tried to suppress it. The sixth stanza is about Argentine Jews facing terror attacks and economic collapse while still carrying Jewish traditions with them.

The final stanza brings all the journeys together into one shared story of exile, survival, memory, and return to Jerusalem.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

Scattered tongues, or: If I forget thee

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

midnight flights 
cracked heels crossed Sudan 
mothers prayed 
stars concealed 
trembling elders kissed the ground
Zion after storms

eagles’ wings
sea salt and deserts
Aden called
sandstorms passed
old caravan hymns endured
the sky roads opened

ash-choked trains
numbered arms recalled
exiles rose
ships arrived
displaced children spoke again
names returned ashore

Tigris dusk
courtyard lamps faded
passports stamped
children borne
tears by Babylon’s waters
locked homes gathered dust

winter queues
visa refusals
gray buildings
mouthed Hebrew
each scattered tongue remembers
snow melted slowly

banks collapsed
Buenos Aires mourned
glass shattered
sirens wailed
Spanish carried Sabbath songs
our Jerusalem

midnight flights
sea salt and deserts
exiles rose
children borne
each scattered tongue remembers
our Jerusalem

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Yvette encourages us to compose resilience-themed syllabic poems. My above shadorma is about the resilience of Jews from around the world who repatriated to our ancient homeland under difficult and often dangerous circumstances.

The first stanza is about Ethiopian Jews who crossed Sudan and were flown to Israel in secret rescue missions. The second stanza is about Yemenite Jews who traveled through deserts and through Aden before flying to Israel. The third stanza is about Holocaust survivors who came to Israel after surviving Nazi camps and war.

The fourth stanza is about Iraqi Jews who were forced to leave behind their ancient homes and communities in Babylon and Iraq. The fifth stanza is about Soviet Jews who kept Jewish identity and Hebrew alive even when the Soviet Union tried to suppress it. The sixth stanza is about Argentine Jews facing terror attacks and economic collapse while still carrying Jewish traditions with them.

The final stanza brings all the journeys together into one shared story of exile, survival, memory, and return to Jerusalem.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!

Scattered tongues, or: If I forget thee

A ‘Garland’ Shadorma

midnight flights 
cracked heels crossed Sudan 
mothers prayed 
stars concealed 
trembling elders kissed the ground
Zion after storms

eagles’ wings
sea salt and deserts
Aden called
sandstorms passed
old caravan hymns endured
the sky roads opened

ash-choked trains
numbered arms recalled
exiles rose
ships arrived
displaced children spoke again
names returned ashore

Tigris dusk
courtyard lamps faded
passports stamped
children borne
tears by Babylon’s waters
locked homes gathered dust

winter queues
visa refusals
gray buildings
mouthed Hebrew
each scattered tongue remembers
snow melted slowly

banks collapsed
Buenos Aires mourned
glass shattered
sirens wailed
Spanish carried Sabbath songs
our Jerusalem

midnight flights
sea salt and deserts
exiles rose
children borne
each scattered tongue remembers
our Jerusalem

‘Garland’ Shadorma?

The ‘Garland’ Shadorma was created by Sylvia Cognac, modeled after the ‘Garland’ Cinquain. Essentially, it is a Shadorma series of seven stanzas, with the seventh and final stanza being composed of lines from all six previous stanzas.

Tanka Tuesday

For Tanka Tuesday, Yvette encourages us to compose resilience-themed syllabic poems. My above shadorma is about the resilience of Jews from around the world who repatriated to our ancient homeland under difficult and often dangerous circumstances.

The first stanza is about Ethiopian Jews who crossed Sudan and were flown to Israel in secret rescue missions. The second stanza is about Yemenite Jews who traveled through deserts and through Aden before flying to Israel. The third stanza is about Holocaust survivors who came to Israel after surviving Nazi camps and war.

The fourth stanza is about Iraqi Jews who were forced to leave behind their ancient homes and communities in Babylon and Iraq. The fifth stanza is about Soviet Jews who kept Jewish identity and Hebrew alive even when the Soviet Union tried to suppress it. The sixth stanza is about Argentine Jews facing terror attacks and economic collapse while still carrying Jewish traditions with them.

The final stanza brings all the journeys together into one shared story of exile, survival, memory, and return to Jerusalem.

Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!