Star of David - a Poem by Rick Black

I am loath

to open the archival box

in which it is kept.

Yet I can not resist

and delicately

lift the top

to find white gauze

beneath which is a hint

of yellow,

a precious jewel.

I unwrap it slowly, the infamous

word,

Jude,

so naked,

so innocent,

so dark,

the graceful letters

set against the yellow star.

Where has it been,

this scrap of cloth?

Who wore it, long forgotten,

in which ghetto?

Go ahead,

try to calculate

its weight,

resting in my hand,

a swallowtail that can

no longer fly.

Courtesy of  Rick Black (c)

This poem is from his book

 Star of David 

which is a collection of poems 

see more on:

http://www.turtlelightpress.com/products/star-of-david/

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TITLE: Poetry Reading: Star of David 

SPEAKER: Rick Black 
EVENT DATE: 2013/11/22
RUNNING TIME: 53 minutes
TRANSCRIPT: View Transcript (link will open in a new window)
https://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6232