Sholem Poems | Examples

The Awl

Lawrence Strauss, based on The Nazarene by Sholem Asch

The Rabbi saw in the hand of a man an awl,
Such as a driver would use to pierce an animal’s skin, 
And not let the wound be healed,
But whenever the creature refused to move
The driver would stab the awl again into the raw flesh.
The Rabbi took from the hand of the man the awl.

Treat others how you would like to be treated, 
That is the Torah and the Prophets, a
And if treating others well is bound to those who may repay, 
Are you different than the unbelieving, 
who expect the return of what they have lent? b
But you, love, and put no bounds on your love, 
As your Heavenly Father puts no bounds on His. c

And every beast belongs to God, 
And He hears the cries of the beasts, d
When God entrusts a beast to a man, 
The man is held to account, e
So when a man torments a beast, 
The Holy One will want judgment.
As a man gives mercy, God gives mercy. f 

a Matthew 7:12, b Matt. 5:46,  c I Corinthians 13:7-8, Matt. 5:48,  d Psalms 50:10,  147:9, e I Cor. 4:2,  f  Matt. 7:2