© October 2003..2009 Linda Hirschhorn
I
In the beginning
I climbed trees and rocks on Washington Heights
swooned after kennyrankin
who became a rock star on AM radio
and beat bigellen
to become checker champ of the block
for 10 whole days in 1956
when I was nine years old.
Once
I even threw a yo-yo
around the world
II
Then I journeyed West
to the land of flower children
begging in the streets,
long skirts billowing
as they swooped past women so old
they had forgotten their names
and called themselves Yocheved
to receive the honor due them
for having survived so long
in this land of saints and beggars
III
Finally
the call came
in the voice of a song
that I heard one night in my sleep
When I awoke it was fully alive
Dazzled, I watched as it floated out in front of me,
out the windows and sang itself
IV
Into the desert
where it carved out an oasis
for traveling caravans,
bringing their stories and songs
from east to west
and back again
V
Then,
things started all over
and while
I no longer climb, swoon
or play at simple games
in my dreams
I still fly around the world
And day by day I watch
as my children
make up their own stories and songs
and whisper me to sleep
each and every night
saying:
this is for you
for you
Yocheved