Listening to “Rites Of Spring”: Poem by Judy Katz-Levine

Listening to “Rites Of Spring” – a visitation
 
I was sleeping but listening to the radio:
“Rites Of Spring”.  Just as the music was ending
I had this dream:
 
My mother came in a white house trailer.  Someone else
was driving.  She hopped out, came to our door.
I knew it was her, only she appeared luminous.
 
Then she sat down in the living room, my mother gone two years
was alive in this dream.  My father also
was there, miraculously alive again.  I was careful
with the introductions, and remembered my grandfather’s
name – Joseph – I didn’t want to make a mistake.
 
Then my mother walked around the room, felt
a wooden table with her fingers, which my father
had refinished – and felt a wooden floor by the fireplace
(it is actually made of blue stone) – she felt with sensitive
fingers the grain of wood, felt with her hands, very slowly.
Then went to the Mezuzahs* on the door posts, and put her fingers
to them, held them there, slowly touching.   Feeling the engraved
design of the Mezuzahs.
 
She then asked me
if I still liked to collect shells – my son
was also in the room, but not
my husband.
 
Then my mother said – “Well, maybe
we can work something out – a visit or vacation
at the cape or a beach.”
 
        Judy Katz-Levine
 
*Mezuzah – a sacred Jewish object attached to the door post of a home or room, with biblical and sacred phrases within.