Seven Day Quarantines Were so Quaint – Tazria-Metzora (Aliyah 2)

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the kohen shall quarantine him for seven days.

I’ve been at home for five weeks
mostly sitting in this same office chair.

My exercise consists of long walks to
the bathroom and meager weights at night.

I overheard someone in a poem recently say
To heck with birds. I’m not sure why that

resonates with me today, as the outside
becomes a memory. As my car doesn’t

remember what it’s like to be on.
As the delivery people I know by name

now ring the doorbell and flee before
I have the chance to thank them for their service.

As the seven day quarantines mandated in
this week’s Torah portion seem so quaint.

We used to dream of quarantines that
lasted only seven days. When all we had

to worry about were spots on our skin
and the occasional discolored hair.

When the priest’s job was to behave like
a doctor, and that examination was holy.

Now there is nothing on my skin and
all my hairs are the color they are supposed to be.

Even the grey ones are giving me a
comforting thumbs up.

When this is all over, the ritual bath I’ll take
will last seven days. I’ll send photos to the past

to gain priestly assurances. I’ll never
not leave the house again.

These poems are offered free for your enjoyment. If you use them as part of an event, meeting, educational or liturgical setting, please consider tipping the author.

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