Dune Song

Elaina ​Ellis

Towards the height of the mountain
Was the question of gifts
And who should get to keep them 

I sat between a downward slope—steep as no
—and a climb I couldn’t make except to crawl
I crawled on sand and sweated in my hat  

Though G-d believed I crawled for G-d
I crawled to know the height of my own rage
I carried myself I cursed myself up 

Slid down—and named the day adoption day
I didn’t bring my gifts to G-d 
I kept them all 

I crawled I stood I fell 
I kept them all

 

Elaina ​Ellis is a poet and editor in the Pacific Northwest. She is the author of Write About an Empty Birdcage (Write Bloody Publishing​)​, with poems in publications including Poetry Northwest, Muzzle Magazine, and ​Vinyl Poetry. Elaina is a Lambda Literary Fellow, a founding member of the Jewish Voice for Peace Artist Council, and works at Copper Canyon Press. ​

 

By Drregor