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James B. Rosenberg

Rabbi James B. Rosenberg -- husband, father, grandfather -- has been writing poetry on a regular basis for more than twenty years. Some of his poems and translations of Hebrew poetry have appeared in national periodicals.

In the fall of 2006, Jim completed a ten-year term as Poetry Editor of the CCAR Journal of Reform Judaism.

His collection of 120 poems, Until the Blue Kingdom Comes, was published in January 2011 by Xlibris.  Five poems from this edition are offered in origami format.

 

 


Jim's Origami micro-chapbbooks & selected poems are available below.

Origami Micro-Chapbook

Selected Poem(s)

From Until the Blue Kingdom Comes

 

Cover Art by Elise Luce Kraemer
 

{mooblock=My Feckless Chickadee}

I met my feckless chickadee
At an oyster bar in Tennessee.
 
We both took lemon in our tea:
What a marvel of serendipity.
 
Though I loved her well, I could surely see
In her nitwit eyes that she hated me.
James B. Rosenberg © 2010

{/mooblock}

Biblical Quintet

 

 

{mooblock=You!}

         ...and a man wrestled with him
         until the break of dawn.

                                  Genesis 32.25
 
You elude me like a name heard once.
You taunt me with demands I cannot meet
And cannot fail to meet.
Shall I strip off my anger like a bathing suit
coarse with sand?
Shall I swallow my lust like a vitamin?
You call me to a yesterday I cannot face
And to a tomorrow far deeper than the river
I have crossed.
Your sweaty arms drip insolence.
Your bony legs squeeze me to truth.
 
You! You! You!
James B. Rosenberg © 2009

{/mooblock}

Dream Riding

 

{mooblock=Opening Lines}

riding and riding and driving and driving
bicycle bicycle car car
I come to a crossroads
rain-slicked and cool
 
James B. Rosenberg © 2009

{/mooblock}

What A Week!

 

{mooblock=Wednesday:}


No sun at High Noon nor
Moon over Miami:
The Almighty says “Oops!”,
Puts two light in the sky,
One to rule in the night,
One to paint the day bright.


James B. Rosenberg © 2009

{/mooblock}

Rock, Scissors, Paper

 

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