My husband is Jewish, Stephen.
What color is your skin?
>"Israel is the color of your skin" a complicated line to negotiate.
>What is the color of Israel?? It seems a broad brush.
>What is the color of England, of California?
>I hate to be such an empiricist, but the lack of specificity puts a level
>of
>sentiment on "Israel" as meaning something more than color - it seems.
>Is the poem responsible putting that together for 'us' the global reader
>or??
>I don't know if your husband is from Israel - and is this, coma et al - a
>significant return?? Maybe that is all set up in a different part of a
>larger sequence of which I am ignorant.
>
>Otherwise I remain off in 'the vague".
>
>Stephen V
>
>
>
> > Well, I wouldn't say it was totally clear to me either. Difference is, I
> > don't think that matters. I'm prepared to accept the poem as an approach
>to
> > whatever in the way of messages might get through to a coma patient, and
> > whatever likewise might travel in the other direction. Dunno whether it
>was
> > intended that way; but to my mind, any imprecision is part of the
>effect.
> > For instance, I don't think it matters whether the visit to Israel is
> > actual, emotional, or imaginary.
> >
> > best joanna
> >
> > Deborah, please not my correction:
> > Or just a curious dream. I mean - at least from here - it is hard to
>write
> >>> anything about Israel ³without² raising a bunch of questions, tempers,
> >>> etc.
> >
> > ³ People who raise questions are questionable, in my opinion. ³
> >
> > Did you really say that!! I hope not. Itıs more than a little
>censorious
> > especially in these times.
> > As to censorship, I believe I am suggesting that the poem would benefit
>from
> > broadening its context.
> > Itıs not clear to me what is happening.
> > Where I had no trouble with the earlier poem of washing the garments
>which
> > I thought was quite good.
> >
> > Stephen V
> >
> >
> >> No, Stephen.
> >>
> >> The poem is about my husband, while he was, in a coma. This was written
> >> for an upcoming reading at the Loveland Art Museum.
> >>
> >> People who raise questions are questionable, in my opinion. I hope you
> >> aren't censoring your work, for those reasons, Stephen.
> >>
> >> deborah
> >>
> >>> Deborah:
> >>>
> >>> Can I ask who the person who is in the coma? Is this about Ariel
>Sharon
> >>> in
> >>> some very oblique way?
> >>> Or just a curious dream. I mean - at least from here - it is hard to
> >>> write
> >>> anything about Israel ³without² raising a bunch of questions, tempers,
> >>> etc.
> >>>
> >>> Curious,
> >>>
> >>> Stephen V
> >>> http://stephenvincent.net/blog/
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> Visiting Israel
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Visiting Israel
> >>>> while you are in a coma . . .
> >>>>
> >>>> Your eyes
> >>>> are the language of butterflies
> >>>>
> >>>> In the hard cackle
> >>>> they, remember a word
> >>>> (something like
> >>>> a digital manipulation)
> >>>>
> >>>> Your mind's webspyder
> >>>> hangs on a silver thread
> >>>> Its lucid fandango is urgent
> >>>> and stuttering
> >>>>
> >>>> You try to catch a poem
> >>>> in your bare hands
> >>>> I wonder if you can
> >>>> or, will you ever ?
> >>>>
> >>>> In the corners of the wind
> >>>> I fold a purple scent
> >>>> The white stars of your tongue
> >>>> are the pungent taste of Bethlehem
> >>>>
> >>>> Israel, Israel;
> >>>> Israel is the color of your skin
> >>>>
> >>>> Stars, over and over
> >>>> again . . .
> >>>>
> >>>> Deborah Russell
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