On vacation, or: For the funeral

Poetry Partners #49

‘On vacation’, a poem by Maria L. Berg of ‘Experience Writing’

We visited

And something else disappeared
pieces of shared experience
taking up residence
in the paintings
on your forehead
and the crook behind
a slightly bent left leg

The apartment didn't want to keep me
so we met in other places
when we stayed together
we reflected their appearance
filled with the end
and anise and sweet herbs

Maria L. Berg: https://experiencewriting.com/

A poem by ben Alexander of ‘The Skeptic’s Kaddish’

I visited

For my father's funeral
the residence and paintings
were no different
everything was different
no more wrinkled forehead
white hair, hearing aid
left in his desk
along with forgotten items
I took home

Jewish tradition holds
mourners should not go
out for an entire
week, but I wanted
time
with my brother alone; we
drove to a kosher donut shop

It was kosher

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!

List of Poetry Partners

47 thoughts on “On vacation, or: For the funeral”

A lot of pain in your words. Things that always looked normal seem so out of place without the one who gave them meaning.

ben Alexander February 16, 202213:45 Reply

💘 Terveen 💘

I thought these were really good! Both pieces conveying so much emotion with just a few well placed details

ben Alexander February 14, 202217:23 Reply

💜💞 JYP 💞💜

Beautiful imagery…lovely lines ✨

Yes why wouldn’t it be kosher
In these unusual circumstances

On vocation, or in death you leave, give or take a piece of them or you.

ben Alexander February 12, 202222:17 Reply

🤍💗 Abi 💗🤍

These bring back memories of my mom’s death seven years ago. Both of you are so precise and caring with your words and feelings, and there’s such a deep silence in my mind when I read this collaboration. Such skillful and respectful treatment of a heart-rending experience. Well done, both of you. 🙂

ben Alexander February 12, 202222:14 Reply

🤎💟 Mike 💟🤎

Moving gentle reflections on loss – of those we loved and what we shared with them.

ben Alexander February 12, 202222:12 Reply

🧡💗 Marion 💗🧡

I sit here with a tear in my eye having read your response poem.

ben Alexander February 12, 202222:12 Reply

💛💟 Muri 💟💛

A lovely juxtaposition and contrast of love, connection, and loss. A beautiful pairing. 💕

ben Alexander February 12, 202222:11 Reply

💖🤎 Michele 🤎💖

I love the resonance between those two poems. Beautifully crafted, Maria and David. ❤️❤️

ben Alexander February 12, 202222:11 Reply

💓💙 Jeff 💙💓

[…] Skeptic’s Kaddish wrote a response poem to one of my poems. It’s a beautiful pairing. Go check it out. And Laura presented a fun challenge at dVerse Poets Pub yesterday that I will tackle […]