A limerick
Emigrating from the land of your birth; moving somewhere far across the earth; if you don't master the tongue or move when you're quite young, you're likely to struggle with self-worth.
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 ๐ฎ๐ฑ 
Truth wrapped in a light hearted form! Great job!
๐๐ Muri ๐๐
I love the limerick.
I think it loves you back, Molly
๐
David
Thank you.
Oh yes and tis such a gift for the youngins to learn early. My spanglish is horrific but I can get the point across at least. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
๐ฃ๏ธ Spanglish does the trick
๐บ๐ฒ Especially in U.S.
๐๐ป Cindy can get by!
Yes! So very true. Well, after 12 years in the Netherlands, Iโm finally comfortable enough with the language to feel really integrated into society, culture, and my community, and Dutch is no easy language thatโs for sure! Of course this was made more challenging once again with the loss of my husband last June. Forced me to learn a whole new aspect of the Dutch world. Iโm still learning. However, Iโm grateful that I have friends and a good social support network to hold me up. Chag sameach to you new friend! ๐
Thanks, Star โค Mo’adim l’simcha to you too!
May I ask what you mean by this?
Sincerely,
David
There were many things (some a bit complicated) that my late husband handled for us. Usually things that required a real grasp of the language and all of its nuances. (Iโm still not there yet.) With him now being gone, I have to muddle through and learn these things.
Taxes are a great example. He always filed our taxes and I had always given him a โmachtigingโ (my permission) to interact with the government on my behalf. This year, I have to do it on my own.
Fortunately itโs not as complicated or complex as US taxes, and even better most of your information is โprefilledโ in on the website. You merely need to confirm the accuracy. (Just about everything that involves interacting with the government is handled online which simplifies so much. Plus helps the environment because thereโs much less paper used)
Unfortunately, before he passed (we knew the exact time that he would leave us), we forgot to think about him giving me a โmachtigingโ. So here I am trying to file our taxes before the May 1st deadline, and I find that Iโm stuck. ๐ฅ Iโm grateful that I have a fabulous social worker that has been working with me through this whole transition, and she set up an appointment for to get some help. It just means delays, but thatโs ok. It all gets done in the end.
Got a bit long winded there, but I hope that explains โa whole new aspect of the Dutch worldโ. LOL Itโs having to learn all these things that I greatly appreciate him having done on our behalf. Which in and of itself was a new experience for me. Iโve always been quite independent, self sufficient, and self reliant. Like I said, lots of new things to learn! ๐
Wow. That’s a lot … I’m glad you have support ๐ค
Very true.
I hope you had a nice Pesach, and I wish you a happy Mo-ed.
Much love,
D
โค Dolly โค Mo’adim l’simcha!
Very good, David! Your limerick tells a true tale. I saw this many times in students who were new to America and spoke English as a second language, if they spoke it all.
โค Michele โค ~ exactly…
True dat! Luckily I was young and learned the language quickly (Spanish)
โค Karima โค
Wise words David, a wonderful limerick!
Hank
โค Hank โค ~ thank you
A poignant piece. Lovely poetry, David. โค๏ธโค๏ธ
โค Jeff, thank you! โค
thanks for writing this David. I am not sure I recognise Limerick but that may be due to my slight weakness as a non-native; but it’s an important piece of your story. And it reminded me of a story a Psych patient told me. I shall write about that in the next few days. Title: Emigrant’s child.
๐ Barbara ๐
Your poem reminded me of the time I went to the UAE while I was in the Navy. I knew none of the language and figured I would understand almost no one. But it turned out that there was a large British population and almost everyone spoke English. Your poem inspired me to write a limerick about that trip. If you want to, you can check it out here:
https://therichardbraxton.wordpress.com/2022/04/17/my-trip-to-the-united-arab-emirates-limerick/
well done, Richard – and that’s an interesting story, actually… although I think that actually integrating into a foreign society and getting a decent job there usually requires an ability to use the local language – you had the advantage of not needing to integrate because you were with the Navy.
I am certain you are right.
How true, David! As a child, I was a “Damn Yankee” who moved to a small Southern town. The limerick is highly relatable to me. ๐
๐ Cheryl ๐