Omer

I’ve been counting the Omer*
by the way your eyes flicker
into feathers before flight.

Once I got to the tenth day–
then you noticed me.
I didn’t have the heart to keep counting.

Instead I swallowed grief whole
without a blessing.

I didn’t have the hands
to say I was sorry.

*“Counting the Omer” is a ritual for Jews, counting the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah. Each day is counted with a blessing.

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Sarah A. Etlinger is an English professor who lives in Milwaukee, WI, with her family. A Pushcart and Best of the Net nominee, she is the author of two books (Never One for Promises, Kelsay Books, 2018) and Little Human Things (Clare Songbirds, 2020) and the forthcoming full-length collection The Weather Gods (Fernwood Press, 2021). Interests include cooking, baking, traveling, and learning to play the piano. For recent work and upcoming workshops and readings, visit www.sarahetlinger.com.