The Rabbi Walked Out

 

I want to call it Thursday

Penultimate weekday

Some extra breathing

Room for action

‘Til the weekend mind take over

 

Issues realized

The work week

The weekend

Take the children from the factory

It’s taken ages,

And we still have a ways to go

For these

With older evils—slavery,

Sex work

The companies that say

You do not matter

We will use you ‘til you’re done

And then some more

Then forget you were ever here

 

We’re civilized, we say

But it’s a rounded apex

On a shifting base

Where evils

Slide like scorpions

Ancient riddles

We have left unanswered

While those of us who could

Have climbed

Set flags

And hope that they will stand

Until we’re gone

 

For the rest who stay

One generation to the other

Today should be the day

We stay for freedom

Fight

Start a resistance

Ask for help

Steal the technology for reaching

Count the cost

Each one has value

Lose until we’ve won

 

C L Couch

 

 

(the Rabbi mystery series by Harry Kemelman)

 

Photo by Marie Bellando-Mitjans on Unsplash

Jewish Museum, Berlin, Germany

 

https://www.jmberlin.de/en/shalekhet-fallen-leaves