And One Who Knows Not By Gershon Ben-Avraham

And One Who Knows Not

Unlike a woman's womb that binds in love
a longed-for child, the darkened walls of rot
that closed her in were a grave in a grove,
a coffin built by one who loved her not.
But wings she had for rising from her grave,
and in their thought, slept well this final night.
With morning's light would come the one who'd save,
the favored one, to set her wrongs aright.
Her hapless husband slept a peaceful sleep,
then rose at dawn to walk into his day.
She sensed his parting kiss upon her cheek
and smelled in it the stench of love's decay.
	     In ways like this, so often passion dies—
	     with one who knows, and one who knows not, why.

Gershon Ben-Avraham’s writing has appeared in journals and magazines, including Amethyst Review, Big Muddy, Gravel, Image, Jewish Literary Journal, Poetica, Psaltery & Lyre, Rappahannock Review, and Tipton Poetry Journal. His short story, “Yoineh Bodek,” (Image) earned “Special Mention” in the Pushcart Prize XLlV: Best of the Small Presses 2020 Edition. His chapbook “God’s Memory” is scheduled for publication in the Spring, 2021.