Page 23 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - February 14

A TREE GROWS IN REHAVIA

They have hammered nails into you,

attached an electric box and
notices to your trunk,
trapped you in asphalt,
cut your branches to make
way for cables

and made you list.
Cars, buses, trucks poison you
with their fumes, yet you remain
aloof, spreading your shade,
in spite of it all.

GIFTS TO A SPECIAL FRIEND*

I'll send you the perfume of roses, citrus
blossom, freesias, sweet peas,

delicately floating like dust motes
in the air.
I'll send you the tinkling laughter
of a toddler on a swing.
I'll send you the smile of a woman

in love, and the touch of her breast
like butterfly wings.
And to round it all off
the taste of fish and chips
on your tongue

to transport you back home.
Judy Foner
* Published in the “Voices” 2010 anthology

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