When they opened the door to the ark
the hatch unfolded to show blue sky
and then slowly we began to see ruins,
what was left of the world as we knew it.
The birds flew out before us, eager to grab
whatever might be edible, even if sea-soaked,
unaware of what might have been lost,
uncaring of what needed to be restored.
Beasts came next, many more
than had entered the ark, cautiously stepping
on wet unfamiliar ground, mistrustful
of what would hold them on the earth
and then we strode out, blinded by sun,
believing the world could be as it was
as we stepped over bodies, cities,
our own libraries, ignorant
of where to begin.
Many years ago I discovered Karen Alkalay-Gut's Tel Aviv Diary. Karen has been keeping her online daily diary about life in Tel Aviv for over 20 years. Her diary has been one of my inspirations for starting and sustaining my blog Reading Matters. Karen is a gifted diarist and published poet. I loved her poem Bible Story and thank you Karen for letting me share it.
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It's a great poem.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the poem too Lark. The opening of the Ark door signals a new beginning. But It's complicated because the world is no longer the same as when Noah' s family and the animals first entered the Ark.
DeleteThx for pointing us to her diary. 20 years is time to long while to talk about things there. I will look thru it.
ReplyDeleteI think you will like Tel Aviv Diary. Karen writes no more than a paragraph or two each day and the entys are so well written.
DeleteInteresting poem. That last stanza is quite haunting. Where is the rainbow? :)
ReplyDeleteIt is haunting. I guess the rainbow picture I posted is a hope for better days once they leave the ark.
ReplyDelete