One wise son

Wow...A poem with Passover imagery on an erotic website. That's different, though it seems kind of hypocritical, what with god's view of sex coming from an monogamous position and all. I did enjoy the imagery of cloud and fire, bitter herbs and unleven bread though.

It's Wildsweetone of course,

KOLKORE

The reader ONESWEETTONE have been kind in reviewing this poem.(below) at the new poems review thread. I'd like to bring his review and my response to the public feecback board. Here goes:

i liked this poem for the story it tell. to improve i think i would suggest that the poet has been a little too brief with his use of words. i'd like to see it written a little more full. i.e. in line two, who is 'them' referring to? to put it another way, KOLKORE, you have caught my attention with your words that i find interesting. now i want to know the story that goes along with them. i'd like to read more.

Thank you very much for your comments and advice.

The context of the four sons or even “the wise son” is the context of the Passover “Seder”- the ritual reading from the book called the Haggadah (and the feast which comes with it!). Each of the sons in the Haggadah is an Archetype; or a model of attitude (there are several interpretations).

The key narrative is of course the traditional historical (?) but essentially the mythical exodus from slavery to Liberation of a whole nation. The travels difficult as they are guided and guarded by the “hand of god” in the form of a pillar of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night.

The current and personal narrative is of the generation of Jews at the time of the holocaust which mostly (about two thirds) were

Killed, notoriously known by the pillars of smoke and fire at the death camps. The bitter irony of the non helping hand of god have not escaped many survivors and younger Jews who struggle to this time with the issue .

For any contemporary Israeli there are many relatives who are the concrete memory bearers of their own liberation stories but with no communal liberation. There is a gap that has to be accounted between the Myth; the idealized story which is perhaps timeless and applies to every moment in time and the personal histories.

This is a tension which is hard to maintain, thus the reminder of the yearly refresher is always timely.

I have mentioned this poem in the New Poem Review thread in the Poetry Forum. Please feel free to come along and join in with other poets. (The 50% temp rating on this poem is so it will not alter other votes.)

wildsweetone