Heavenly Sex
Synopsis:
Heavenly Sex is a book of poems (at once memoir and fiction!) about varieties of love, sacred and profane. It is, at the same time, as noted by Robert Bly, a celebration of one of the more unusual father-son relationships. A self-taught Russian immigrant, drawing on a variety of ancient mystical teachings, the father emerges as the book's central figure.
Book Excerpt:
HEAVENLY SEX
1. The Law
Opens a bottle of schnapps. “Writer, schmyter,
you’re unemployed.
Unemployed people must make love
at least once a day.
Talmud says:
A laborer, twice a week; a mule driver
once a week; a camel driver,
once a month. It’s the law.
This is heavenly sex. Say a blessing—
pray— ‘Blessed art thou, O Lord our God…’
Ba-ruch a-ta Adonai, El-lo-hei-nu…
For your spouse and for your seed.
What is it with you?
I need to explain how to bring a soul into the world?”
2. The Blessing
“Listen:
The soul is the Lord’s candle.
So you say a blessing. And you sing to her—your wife:
Strength and honor are her clothing, you sing.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom, you sing.
Her children arise up and call her blessed, you sing.
Rabbi says if knowing a woman were not holy,
it would not be called ‘knowing.’
So, after a good Shabbes meal—
linen tablecloth, blessed spices,
braided loaves of challah,
a goblet of wine…
Thirty-nine things you cannot do on the Sabbath,
but you can eat. You can drink. You can schtepp.
Make one another happy.
It’s the law.”
Author Comment:
From Black Moss Press' "Palm Poets Series," designed by Karen Monck. Cover photo by Marty Gervais.
Topics/Categories:
Dialogue, father-son relationship, Judaism, monologue
Genre:
Biography and Memoir, General Erotica, Jewish-American Fiction
Type of Work:
Publishers:
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Original Publish Date:
2008-08-31
ISBNs:
0-88753-375-2
Publishing Notes:
Order directly from author. The book Heavenly Sex was published in Canada and is difficult to bring over the border.
Formats:
Paperback, Audio CD
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