Poetry

Keith Gormezano wrote a thought provoking poem about the Star of David. In this poem he explores the meaning of the Star of David by listing the main associations he has concerning the number six which constitute the corners of the star:
· Six million Jews that were murdered in the Holocaust

· 666,666 days of exile to six continents

· The six wars of Israel against the neighboring Arab countries

· The calendar approaching the year 6,000

· The expulsion from Spain 600 years ago



P.S.
Right after I posted the above message I sent an Email to Keith Gormezano asking him to let me publish his poem and saying also that:

I'd like to know a little more about the circumstances that lead you to
write this original poem. I read a lot about Stars of David but never heard "Six points/for the six million".

Today, 11 December 2006, I got the folowing letter from him:

I don't really remember how I came up with the idea of six points for the
six million. I think I just though of the irony of the numbers and the way
numbers play a role in Hebrew (chai=18=life). It was at a time in my life
when I was discovering that I had been born a Jew but raised something else.

Happy Channakuh,

Keith Gormezano

So here is the poem:

Star of David

What does it all mean?

My silver Star of David
glows in the darkness;
two triangles superimposed
and opposite one another
(like lovers).

Six points
for the six million
for 666,666 days of exile
to six continents;
for six wars; one still remains to be fought,
613 points of observment
a calendar approaching the year 6,000.

Take my star
separate the lines.
String them all into one thin tightrope
like my ancestors walked in Sefarad
600 years ago.

Recombine the lines into
2 triangles, 2 lovers.
One triangle represents that
all religions lead to G-d.
The other contains Torah, home, and G-d for us.
Yet in mine, if I lack one point,
I have nothing to support