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
