A two-person ‘Rengay’ By Annette and David ara- seams will unravel a strong wind moves things along detached strings remain db- buskers stitch their melody fiddle weaving through the flute ara- statues with heartbeats rubber souls of cement shoes dandelion fuzz db- remembered places— affection drifts like seedlings carrying old notes ara- not all… Continue reading Canta libre, or: A rengay→| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A ‘Blitz’ poem Summer's lease Summer has its flies Flies in the ointment Flies off the handle Handle with care Handle oneself well Well and good Well has no bottom Bottom drops out Bottom line Line in the sand Line up Up with the lark Up to your neck Neck on the line Neck of… Continue reading Flies through times, or: (Seasoning)→| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
One day the VCR whirred, playing The Simpsons: Too Hot For TV videotape on date night. Outside, torrential rains slammed the windows, startling Daisy. She clambered up, showering Daniel with sloppy kisses. Susan groaned, but he laughed: “Awww, poor Daisy—she has a cromulent reason.” This piece of flash fiction was written in response to:| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
I smile at strangers every day but I live in London and they wonder what is wrong with me they glare and walk away I smile at strangers when I can— be they boy, girl, woman or man, but people wonder if I’m okay why am I smiling like that, they say‽ Smiling at strangers… Continue reading REBLOG: ‘I smile at strangers every day’ by Lesley Scoble→| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A two-person ‘Rengay’ By Dawn and David dmb- I wake to morning chorus birds celebrate the new dawn while I hide beneath covers db- once more, I crawl through tunnels of childhood’s blanket fortress dmb- into imaginary worlds fairies dance, animals talk reality slips away db- wardrobe dark dissolves into endless winter woods … a… Continue reading Take flight, or: A rengay→| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A Sijo David ben Alexander (n.): human, Jew, skeptic, Zionist, poet father, husband, grant-writer carrying self-doubt, regret seeking connection through verse vision: unfinished, imperfect self Reena’s Xploration Challenge 396 For this week’s RXC, we are encouraged to imagine a dictionary page devoted solely to ourselves, filled with words that describe our identity, vision, and mission.… Continue reading A work in progress (n.), or: By definition→| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A two-person ‘Rengay’ By Nolcha and David db- doors keep closing shut but I lace up my shoes again— one must open soon nf- the race is on I cannot wait best to crawl through a window db- defenestration— just a fancy word that means breaking all the rules nf- my… Continue reading Frame of mind, or: A rengay→| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A Sijo noise bangs its toy hammer shouting from the lot like a small prince; it stamps its feet and wails scattering plaster to prove it’s king; my bathroom at work torn down … I shuffle the …| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Intro Dear friends, Welcome to our W3 Poetry Prompt, which goes live on Wednesdays at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. You may click here for a fuller explanation of W3; but here’s the ‘tld…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
8 posts published by ben Alexander during May 2024| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A Sijo power casts its shadow cool shelter for those in its favor; yet in that same dark chill cruelty itself takes form and moves; me? I’m most gentle, most human when I keep my shadow short dR…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
8 posts published by ben Alexander during August 2025| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
“At the time of the episode,” Dr. Levin said at the conference, “Subject C didn’t recall it was her birthday. When prompted, she said, ‘I feel like an invalid.’” It was, he noted, a revealing momen…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A Sijo we called her Banana Luli— she devoured them with gusto; now it’s mostly just Pink Ladies— just enough to dodge the guilt; I wish she got more vitamins… though I rarely eat bananas Tanka Tue…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A poem in ‘Memento’ form Rituals? Papa was forthright—he didn’t give a shit.Not him.So, I don’t mark Papa’s yahrzeit,but keep a candle lit—heart dim.Thing is, I miss h…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A Sijo I toss out whoppers like sparks absurdities launched mid-meltdown— she once searched my face for answers unsure where truth might end or start; now she connects the dots: one twitch of my ey…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Part 17 The wreckage finally thinned. I held my breath until the last shard slipped past—then let it out in a ragged rush. But the console was blinking amber. CARGO INTEGRITY. My heart lurched. I s…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A Sijo a frozen sea waits just ahead— its chill pulses at the edges; at my threshold, stillness gathers— sharp and glinting with intent; the fingers of grief reach inward testing silence for weakne…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
8 posts published by ben Alexander during April 2024| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A Sijo “no reason not to sit,” he’d say “it keeps the seat clean and dry;” Papa lived by quiet rules: disturb no one, don’t leave a mess; now on escalators I say “Stand to the right”—an…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
8 posts published by ben Alexander during July 2025| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
A haibun The middle doors stayed shut. Sweaty, we walked to the front; and he lectured us. Then my ten-year-old retorted that the driver sounded ridiculous. wheels begin to turn— sunlight trickles …| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Intro Dear friends, Welcome to our W3 Poetry Prompt, which goes live on Wednesdays at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. You may click here for a fuller explanation of W3; but here’s the ‘tld…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Intro Dear friends, Welcome to our W3 Poetry Prompt, which goes live on Wednesdays at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. You may click here for a fuller explanation of W3; but here’s the ‘tld…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
8 posts published by ben Alexander during March 2024| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
8 posts published by ben Alexander during June 2025| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Still, I supposemy grief is small.It doesn’t stack like the deadin a devastated shtetlwhere my grandmother,fresh from war,returned in Soviet fatiguesto findher parents and younger brotherslaughtere…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Intro Dear friends, Welcome to our W3 Poetry Prompt, which goes live on Wednesdays at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. You may click here for a fuller explanation of W3; but here’s the ‘tld…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Intro Dear friends, Welcome to our W3 Poetry Prompt, which goes live on Wednesdays at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. You may click here for a fuller explanation of W3; but here’s the ‘tld…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Intro Dear friends, Welcome to our W3 Poetry Prompt, which goes live on Wednesdays at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. You may click here for a fuller explanation of W3; but here’s the ‘tld…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Intro Dear friends, Welcome to our W3 Poetry Prompt, which goes live on Wednesdays at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. You may click here for a fuller explanation of W3; but here’s the ‘tld…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
Intro Dear friends, Welcome to our W3 Poetry Prompt, which goes live on Wednesdays at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. You may click here for a fuller explanation of W3; but here’s the ‘tld…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
