Comments on: Barakah

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:22:00 +0000

Kris – There you go.

Jarrett – Of course. I’m honored. Sparked by this discussion, I just posted a new draft of those lines myself. I preserved the first draft as an editorial footnote to Kris’ original comment.

By: Jarrett

Jarrett — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:26:22 +0000

Hmm. I can’t go where Kris goes, but his northward turn suggests a southward one:

and when someone places their left hand
on a stack of dead tree-flesh …

or even

and when someone places their left hand
on a stack of dead leaves …

I hope you enjoy this riffing. It’s a compliment.

By: Kris Lindbeck

Kris Lindbeck — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:52:35 +0000

The below is not a suggestion for the poem, but a riff on your response:

And when someone places their left hand
on the Sacred
to pledge mere factuality
I am with those who blush
& stare at their feet.

Thanks!

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:32:02 +0000

Kris, you won't find a bigger fan of the Bible than me (see for example Why I Love the Old Testament). I am probably guilty of obscurantism here, but what I was trying to get at is that fetishing the bible in this manner, treating it as a touchstone and guarantor of a rather narrow conception of truth, calls its own truth-statements into question in a way that a more respectful and nuanced appreciation might not.

By: Kris Lindbeck

Kris Lindbeck — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:15:56 +0000

Thank you, I think I have it. Gorgeous poem.

“Work of fiction” being the Bible in a swearing-in ceremony did not compute for me.

Not that some bits of it aren’t fictional . . . but I think of most of it as a beautiful and sometimes dangerous combination of factual and mythic truths.
Of course, is a sense, the Bible etc. (Talmud, Kabbalah, New Testament, philosophy of religion . . .) is my job: I’m a professor of religion, mostly Judaism, its history, and the literatures pertaining.

I am exceptionally lucky to have such interesting work, and often confused. ;-)

Be well,

Kris

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:19:01 +0000

Hi Kris – I don’t mind explaining, but I’m not sure how much you gathered. The reference here is to a swearing-in ceremony (Barakah->Barack). Those who are embarassed by the gesture might be hyper-conscious of their own untrustworthiness; they might be illiterate, and ashamed of that; or they might be opposed to oaths on principle. One way or another, I conceive of such official protestations of truthfulness as inimical to the free-flowing nature of bessings/charisma/barakah.

By: Kris Lindbeck

Kris Lindbeck — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:38:06 +0000

Hi Dave,

the first part of this was both funny and moving for me – which is an excellent & hard to manage effect – but the last stanza lost me completely.
I drew a puzzled blank.

Can you explain anything or would that ruin it?

In peace,

Kris

Note to later readers: Kris is responding to an earlier draft in which the last stanza read,

And when someone places their left hand
on a work of fiction
I am with those who blush
& stare at their feet.

–Dave (1/20/09)

By: quiet regular

quiet regular — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:43:02 +0000

the last bit is something I hadn’t considered.

By: Jo

Jo — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:48:25 +0000

In the middle of a ballet, I am the fly
rubbing its hind legs together
on the collar of a coat.

Love it.

By: marja-leena

marja-leena — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:14:49 +0000

Fascinating new word!I enjoyed the poem before I learned about the word, then the poem turned into an intriguing puzzle.