Avital’s belly was round and smooth.
In it was a new soul
Waiting to enter life
Avital took this new seed of a soul around with her
like it was her one precious Gucci handbag
when she sold real estate.
Even though she was tired and bloated
she put on her wig and best business suit
and climbed into her car with this new shape
of herself following.
She had to do this all without
Leaving her world behind.
Her rabbi husband who taught at a Yeshiva bemoaned
the cost of living. It is growing taller than
the highest layer of heaven. He didn’t like
that his wife worked but interest rates were high.
And he knew a four bedroom home where they lived
cost more than Passover candy
And a used four wheel drive gas guzzling car.
Avital wanted to teach her children
to be descendants of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.
But in selling real estate
she walked in the world in places where humans were faithless.
You shall love the lord your God with all your heart and soul
How would she place this in her children’s heart and on their doorposts
Inexpensively and without blocking music channels on the TV.
Avital picked up her fat self full of retained water
And went to an unfamiliar side of town
where there were no mezzuzahs on the door posts.
Only potential customers who asked her
in between looking at closets, and sinks and furnaces if
she heard the latest news about Britney Spears
and if she wanted a beef jerky stick, pork rind
and a place to
sit down and raise her feet.
