Debating Seder – for Mireille Knoll

What is Seder? A time to leave doors open
like Mireille Knoll, late of Paris:

“If she could have she would
have welcomed the entire world into her home”

entertain anyone who has a mother

though she survived the Nazis,
she was knifed in old age by traitors,

convinced everyone is good
she lived til 85, entertaining to the end.

Or aide memoire to have at the door
bags already packed; and travel lightly

nervous system prepared by history
tells us to be ready to flee; at first

so imperceptible hardly anyone notices;
comfort is a Pharaoh thing;

if not flight, fight on the side of moral
survival.

As Ecclesiastes might have said:
Nothing’s new; entertain all ideas

beat nothing but our rugs, honor the sacred
skein of freedom, pour the wine, please
welcome Elijah.
Let’s eat.

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