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Rochelle Ratner - Purim 2003, The Day After Bush Gives Saddam an Ultimatum |
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In Starbucks, a little boy comes in with a beard painted in brown magic marker, curlicues on his chin edging up to the ears, tapering off as it rises. Almost Hasidic curls. Ingenious, really, though at first it seems to be some newfound rash. He wears a white t-shirt and has a headband with a Jewish star pasted on the front. His sister spills water while the mother’s getting things from the counter, picks up the throwaway cup, presses it again to her lips, laughs. And the boy doesn’t tell on her. Then, lunch finished, Mother leads Son over to the maroon velvet sofa, blessedly vacant now, set against a wall, painted to give the feel of an architectural artifact. She hands him a white cloth to hang on the side of his belt toga-style, has him go into a boxer or karate stance, and takes his picture. His sister bounces on the sofa, tries to get in the photo, and the mother shoos her away, so she grabs her brother by his ankles and laughs. And to think, she could have been Esther.
Rochelle Ratner's latest poetry collection, House and Home, was published in 2003 by Marsh Hawk Press. Two poetry e-chapbooks, Tellings (2002) and Lady Pinball (2003), were published by Tamafyhr Mountain Press. Coffee House Press has published two novels: Bobby's Girl (1986) and The Lion's Share (1991). An anthology she edited, Bearing Life: Women's Writings on Childlessness, was published in January 2000 by The Feminist Press. She lives in New York City, where she is Executive Editor of American Book Review. She also reviews regularly for Library Journal. Additional information is available on her website: http://www.rochelleratner.com.
(Photo courtesy of Richard Rees)
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