Presenting “Portrait of the Book As Golem,” an original poem by Jane Yolen in celebration of National Poetry Month on Tor.com, acquired for Tor.com by Tor Books senior editor Patrick Nielsen Hayden.
Tor.com is celebrating National Poetry Month by featuring science fiction and fantasy poetry from a variety of SFF authors. You’ll find classic works, hidden gems, and new commissions featured on the site throughout the month. Bookmark the Poetry Month index for easy reading.
Portrait of the Book As Golem
So here I am at the river bank,
harvesting clay for my novel,
hands slick with the dark stuff,
as prolific as birth blood.
Back at the house, I turn it
on the wheel of life, make a golem,
knead the long ends into legs, hands,
twist the plot like a load of challah,
build the creature, the avatar,
With my left point finger, closest
to the heart, I write the name of G-d
on his vast, unknowing forehead.
Animation always surprises.
He rises, looks about in wonder
like the first man in Eden,
his eyes still full of innocence.
I hand him an AK47 and a full clip,
and let him seek out readers.
I am done with this one now.
I turn to the next book,
my conscience clear as Eve’s
and damned for my own eternity.
“Portrait of the Book As Golem” copyright © 2013 Jane Yolen
I always love Jane Yolen’s poetry… though handing innocence a gun and letting it go on its way is a bit disturbing! I guess one’s work is primed, and then pushed out the door… after that, what happens, happens.
Very nice description of writing.
Yeah, the AK47 bit is disturbing, but I imagine it’s supposed to be.
And I assume that should be a loaf of challah.
Or maybe it’s challah before it’s a loaf. While it’s still a lump (or load) of raw dough to be divided into strands and twisted and shaped as desired: three-strand braid? Seven-strand braid? Layered braid? A simple round, a royal crown? Or the kind that ends in a hand stretching out, beseeching, blessing, threatening…?
It’s a great metaphor.
As for the AK47, people are always saying things like, “that book destroyed me (but in a GOOD way)!”
Oh good, I needed a poem to read at our National Library week event.
That was cool.
Love this poem!
Jane. You are a far sicker puppy than I ever imagined… Good Job!!!
Most poetry sticks in my craw, but your poem is merrily waltzing along the line between light and dark in my mind!
Very interesting poem, Jane. What happens after the turn intrigues me. “Animation always surprises.” The poem seems to speak to the responsibility of the author after the creation of the work and its release. Does an author ever regret writing a book? As it takes on its own life, perhaps different than the author expected, does the author ever wish things could be reversed? But the only course is to turn to the next book, perhaps carrying a heavy load of regret. I wonder if this can happen.