My 1st ‘Synchronicity’ poem
EPIGRAPH:
All language is a longing for home.
–Rumi (1207 – 1273)
I grew up in an immigrant family. At home our tongue was Russian. All my cousins' parents also spoke Russian, but never to my cousins. Only I talked with Babushka and Dedushka in Russian. They liked that. But we are Jews. We were never Russians. Israel always had our hearts. Our roots in the U.S.S.R. were entirely incidental to us. My parents had left everything Soviet far, far behind them ~ the past ~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~ At thirty-years-old, I went to Russia for the first time... met my wife there. As a Jew who had left Russia, she preferred not to date Russian speakers.
d’Verse prompt: ‘Synchronicity’ form
At d’Verse, poets were encouraged to write poems in the ‘Synchronicity’ form, which consists of eight three-line stanzas in a syllable pattern of 8/8/2. This poetry type has no rhyme and is written in the first person with a twist. The twist is to be revealed within the last two stanzas.
The word “Synchronicity” means: The state or fact of being synchronous or simultaneous; synchronism. Coincidence of events that seem to be meaningfully related.
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!
The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱 
Thank you for sharing your interesting own story. How hard it must be for you times we are living now.
😔 it is 😔
This is gorgeously rendered, David! Love truly has no language ❤️❤️
Love has no language, and yet(!) language can facilitate love, Sanaa!
❤
David
Russian stories of what was done to jews came before the nazis… i can understand how that leaves a wish not to speak russian.
Björn, yes. I know Jews from the FSU who no longer speak Russian – and certainly never with their children. In my wife’s case, she does speak Russian – with me and with our daughter – but she didn’t want to marry somebody who has an Eastern European mentality (especially a post-Soviet Eastern European mentality).
❤
David
The circle closes – leaving and returning, losing and finding. Wonderful use of the form!
💛 Muri 💛
What a nice turnout over here, David. You crushed the form, and shared a fat slice of life. “Write about what you know” sages say. Russian Jews have always had it rough, even with the Czar.
😘 Glenn 😘
Interesting yes.
Leon Trotsky was also a Russian Jew. He called for the head of the Tsar. Isaac Deutscher who was polish Jew was the biographer of Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. He wrote about this history.
How the war has turned families and associates against each other reminds me of WWII.
😢
Yes what is happening is deep and sad. He had the whole Tsar family decapitated.
Yes Trotsky was a Ukrainian-Russian
Stalin was also Ukrainian
that text is from here – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalin
Oh thank you. It’s been such s while since i read this history. Thanks, yes that’s right. Best to research before commenting on this period.
❤
Language is such a powerful feature in our lives.
This story in many ways reminds me of my red-haired Jewish friend. Russian was so to say her mother tongue. She was married to a Rwandan Jew.
It was different with her, she loved her language, heritage and country.
But this is an old story now, times were different back then she must be reaching 70 by now and the war may have changed her.
Thank you for sharing yours.
🤍 thanks, Abi 🤍
❤❤
Way, way beyond wonderful!!! Your story, history fascinate, inspire, educate … and entertain. Cheers.
💝 Helen 💝
If you wife didn’t want to date Russian speakers, how did you manage to attract her attention, David?
Shabbat Shalom!
Because she primarily didn’t want to date men with an Eastern European mentality. My mentality is mostly American.
Ah, so it’s not the language, but the mentality – makes sense. Smart lady, your wife.
Yeah. She speaks to me in Russian. And to our daughter as well.
That’s great!
❤️ שבוע טוב ❤️
😻
Sweet. Thanks for sharing, David. ❤️
🤎💖 Punam 💖🤎