Poetry by David John Rosenheim
HOTEL RABBINICAL

Whisper a benediction
to the fly cupped in your palm
and release it to the open
pane    it is grateful for
the pale night under its wing

A lamb on the slope below

lifts its chin to your naked
form standing in the window
unsubstantial, transient
in the proto-dawn

Place a hand on
your stomach or thigh
witness the body’s unrest
its animal anxiety
as blood flows through

The body feels watched
even loved by the ewe

as two beings share
the flame of awakeness
on the derelict plain

Love the body now for its striving
for its failure and its ability
love all of it    pray
for its peaceful return
its communion with the stream

David John Rosenheim is a poet, songwriter, and novelist based near San Francisco, where he lives in a solar-powered house by the ocean with his wife and two boys. The Weather Band, Hugh, and Winchester Revival have released his songs on seven critically lauded records, and his poetry has been published in many fine journals. His debut poetry collection, OWL, was published by Unsolicited Press in 2024. David is a student of Zen in the Soto tradition and seeks connection with others through writing and music. He is a graduate of Oxford University, is a seasoned executive coach, and is focused on building a sustainable future for people and the planet.

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