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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
AKIBA, by ALTER ABELSON Poet's Biography First Line: O heart, who art a fable, new and true Last Line: Aye, kissed by god, your feet on crowns have trod. Subject(s): Akiva Ben Joseph, Rabbi (50-135 A.d.); Death; Heaven; Israel; Jews; Dead, The; Paradise; Judaism | |||
O HEART, who art a fable, new and true; O soul, a legend strange and sweet as joy; Lover, whose love has built, not razed a Troy; Akiba, whom heaven and angels taught to woo. Lover, and lawyer, all Israel's sceptred mind, Who luminous mists hast orbed into a sun Of Oral Law, and logic's praises won; A shepherd's crook you left, a wand to find, Our blameless Lancelot of lists of lore, Who made Romance a theme for cherubim; And love, God's Song of Songs, His heavenly hymn; And law, a mine where mercy digs for ore. God's patriot, who heaven with life hast sought, And Holylands in Holyland hast known; Thou art a part of heaven, thou hast shown, Thou art a part of "Torah" thou hast taught. What wonder you have traversed Paradise, It was your gentle spirit's element; What wealth to heaven, what penury hell, you sent; Courage and wisdom hailed you brave and wise. And virtue named you saint, and greatness, great; Patriotism, patriot; and knowledge, sage. And love, a lover; your heart, its golden page. And holiness rejoiced to own you, mate. What, though the foe your frame with fires shod? What, though he drained the wine-vats of your veins? He only precious made like gems, your pains; Aye, kissed by God, your feet on crowns have trod. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RABBI'S SON-IN-LAW by SABINE BARING-GOULD A LITTLE HISTORY by DAVID LEHMAN FOR I WILL CONSIDER YOUR DOG MOLLY by DAVID LEHMAN JEWISH GRAVEYARDS, ITALY by PHILIP LEVINE NATIONAL THOUGHTS by YEHUDA AMICHAI SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#3): 2. ANGEL ... by MARVIN BELL |
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