Rabbi Akiva's Daughter Poem by Eli Spivakovsky

Butterflies zoom past me
and leave a trace
of gold dust on my face
My marrow shakes
I stamp on rose petals
The decree is being repealed
peeled like a shining apple
The aura sparkles before it shatters
My wedding dress grows crystals
and ice blossoms
'she will live', squeaks the sparrow
I was spared because I gave up part of my wedding feast to the poor
the sea is silent and does not want me
I dreamt I was falling in circles inside it
I was rescued by the raft of the violet sea snail
every flawed teardrop is replaced with a real one
I am a collection of tears
and psalms which float up from my heart
The decree is being repealed
Today was meant to be my last day
Today we super-impose ourselves
swap helices
I keep dreaming of birds
'Mercy' squarks the swallow
the snake disappears to another orchard not yet ripe
rearranges the pact
You kiss me with no doubt as the trees shimmer.