Bow Bells Poem by gershon hepner

I opened for the one I love
“Hello! ” and my belovèd melted
away. I looked below, above,
but in the dark he'd helter-skeltered.
Then when he spoke, I lost control––
I sought him and I could not find
the rainbow that my flesh and soul
were striving all the night to find.
I called him––he did not respond
the way that I had hoped to do.
If he of me is truly fond,
why did he never say adieu?

This poem is a free rendition of Song of Songs 5: 6, highlighting the wordplay in biqashtihu, which in addition to meaning “I sought him” means “I gave him a hard-on, ” from the word qeshet, meaning both “bow” and “phallus, ” a double entendre which is present in Gen.9: 8–17.


1/15/06