Two Rituals

Joshua Bolton


In Mongolia, among Tuvan
throat singers, the sons of Ghenghis Khan,
animal blood is not to touch the ground.

To quietly end a highland beast’s life
an incision is carved along the
chest cavity, letting loose bursts

of purple arteries and fats, through which
a native hand enters, immediately
pinching the aorta, arresting the heart.

Jewish tradition established that
ritual amelioration of
sin occur before Yom

Kippur. A chicken is
grabbed at its legs, waved atop one’s head
and set aside to be slaughtered.

haTarnegol yelech le’mavet
ve’adam yizkeh le’chaim arukim.
The chicken goes unto death, and man
unto the merit of a healthful Year.



More poetry: re:vision Raphael Cohen
November, 2003

Trembling Before You Matthue Roth
September, 2003

Wisconsin Chanel Dubofsky
September, 2003

Stones of Jerusalem David Goldstein
August, 2003

Not Mentioned Hal Sirowitz
July, 2003

The Relentless Pull of Genetic Memory Dan Lupkin
December, 2002

Driving Julia Glassman
November, 2002

Experimental Values Shaun Hanson
April, 2002

Zeek
Zeek
January 2004


Harvard Death Fugue
On the Exploitation of Bruno Schulz
James Russell



The Jews of Istanbul
Sara Liss



The Truth about the Rosenbergs
Joel Stanley



Thinking despite Doubt, Feeling despite Truth
Jay Michaelson



Two Rituals
Joshua Bolton



Hepster Advice
Jennifer Blowdryer



Josh Goes to the Hospital
Josh Ring



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From previous issues:

Surrender
Niles Goldstein

Anything you want to be
Ben Cohen

Elephant Memory
Jay Michaelson