Gardens, cacti and a ring grab poets’ attention

By Eileen Wingard

Eileen Wingard

LA JOLLA, California — The “Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices” program featured a stellar line-up of poets for its Tuesday, March 16 program, attracting over 100 virtual audience members. The attendees were well-rewarded with the high caliber of poetry, beautifully delivered by local poets Annette Friend, Jen Laffler and Susan L. Lipson. A sample of each writer’s work is found below.

Annette Friend’s poetry reflected an interesting variety of personal experiences, from her childhood home in New Jersey, the kosher rituals she sometimes forgot to follow, a visit to the Holocaust Museum, the kindness of a Starbucks server, an antique dressing table, a Japanese cancer victim and age-related forgetfulness. “Pandemic Spring” is her ode to nature, untouched by the virus’ devastation.

Jen Laffler’s poems displayed her keen sense of humor, mirroring the everyday challenges of motherhood such as “Where Did All the Towels Go?” and “Cookie No,” which she delivered with the help of her charming nine-year old daughter, Philippa.  Others described the natural beauty of the Mantis and Sacajawea Pass. Another humorous poem was “Matzo Ball.” Please Don’t Pet The Cactus is the title of her forthcoming chat book of poems that kids inspire.

Susan L. Lipson opened with “Nana’s Ring,” published in her textbook, Writing Success Through Poetry. One of her most moving poems was “Atonement In a Parking Lot,” telling of how touched her secular father was after she took him to services. A gifted song writer as well as a poet, Lipson concluded with an original pandemic song, “No Way But Forward Now.”

The featured poets were followed by a half hour of open mic with  interesting offering by audience members.

Pandemic Spring by Annette Friend

in my neighbor’s untamed garden
flaming bougainvillea and purple African daisies
mingle without restraint
towering spires of Pride of Madeira clash
with orange Cape Honeysuckle
as they vie for smiles of passersby
bees race breathless consuming nectar
from each blossom of fresh-faced yellow lantana
while sparrows shout their songs
as they touch down on tender branches
and search unfurled green leaves
for a place to shelter expected family

nature has not been placed on pause
like us
forced to wander our neighborhoods
six feet apart from breath or touch
anxiously sorting through closets
with no destination to flaunt our bright colors
hesitant to travel to Whole Foods
a block away for a bite
pondering if we brush
another human
what harm that might bring
while nature continues to rush
without worry
headstrong into lush Spring

 

Please Don’t Pet The Cactus by Jen Laffler

Please don’t pet the cactus.
Don’t scratch behind its ears.
Do not think of hugging it.
This will end in tears.

Don’t dance with the cactus.
Don’t climb it like a tree.
Do not attempt to ride it:
you won’t get far, sadly.

Don’t feed it fertilizer
or move it to the shade.
It doesn’t need your sunblock,
baseball cap, or lemonade,

because cacti are content
all their live-long-lives
to stand and wave in scorching sun:
but they give the worst high-fives.

 

Nana’s Ring by Susan L. Lipson

I didn’t want your ring.
Didn’t want it?!
This sparkling attractor of eyes
And compliments,
This precious reminder
Of your knotted, but soft, hands,
Too knotted to wear the ring,

And too busy, anyway—
Cooking, wrapping “cheecken” and latkes”
In petite foil packages for me,
So you’d know I was “eating goot:”
This ring that twinkles silvery blue,
As your eyes once did,
When you locked it up for Someday—
As in: “Someday dis ring vil be yours, Suseleh;”

But I didn’t want your ring then,
For I dreaded Someday, then.
And now, as I gaze upon my finger,
Graced by your shining presence,
I smile with misty eyes
And admit that now,
It is some day,
Some wonderful day,
To treasure both intangible and tangible
Memories of you,
And to admit that
I really do want your ring.

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Eileen Wingard, a retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony, is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts.