Musings by The Poet Loriet - The Twelve Days of Abstinence

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The Twelve Days of Abstinence

This is an intriguing explanation I recieved from a friend of mine who lives in Israel after he wrote a poem and I asked him a question about the significance of the number "twelve" in his poetry. His last lines were something similar to their beds being joined together with rose petals under the number twelve~I got a very interesting answer from him~one that inspired me! As follows:

The number 12? These are the days that an Orthodox Jewish man and Jewish woman are separate from each other - 5 days for menstration and another 7 clean days.
Then the woman immerses herself in a ritual bath called a mikveh. The water is combination of regular tap water and rain water. After that, they are able to be together until her next menstrual period.

So there you have it. There is a lbit of everything here - abstinence, wild sex, and romance because you're supposed to be especially loving during this time even though you cannot touch.

Does she look at you
the way she did across
the University campus
as she bends over the stove
making fried matza
for your morning breakfast.

Do you sigh, remember
how beautiful she was
when you first met,
how the whole world
disappeared except
for her eyes meeting yours
for that magical moment?

Do you give her more backrubs
surprise her as she lies
in bed reading a novel,
hold her in the hallway
as you pass and whisper
how much you miss her
beside you in the night?

Does she sit at the foot
of your easy chair, rub
your feet as you watch t.v.
You both have to swallow
the lump in your throats
holding back everything
you wish you could say.

You unpin her long hair,
sigh at the way it falls
across the nape of her neck
that you have always loved,
that hollow place that
you alone kiss as you
sneak up behind her.

Do you say, "I love you"
more often, light candles,
feed each other finger foods,
drink wine together and
make silly toasts that grow
slightly more meaningful?

Do you flirt as if you
were in a bar, pretend
to be on your first date
making small-talk over dinner,
notice each other again
for the very first time,
remember why you first
fell in love, forget
to take one another
for granted, and count
the days with anticipation...

as the rain collects on the porch
in a saucer more precious than
one of golden cream to a
little lost kitten.

Lori Beal