Working The Wall - Summer 2006

Not being good at saying no

I've surprised myself these last six days

It's actually not a no, but worse

me going about my business, no yes

And it wouldn't pay to mention it

if it occurred anywhere but The Wall

What in the world am I talking about?

nothing, if not a myriad of beggars

I've seen a down and out man ask for change

to be told by a forlorn woman, "I'm asking myself"

I've had men push their faces up to mine

in the middle of my minyan saying Shma

I made an intuitive decision

that I have mixed feelings about- at best

It seems better to use the official box

than to give in once, then be barraged

And yet the degree to which they get to me

this itself-well, it gets to me.