Yeshaya Douglas Ballon
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Subways

  • For Becca


Oh, to be sitting on an uptown train as I write this!

I love subways.
I love the power, the percussion
the roar as it enters the station
yellow stripes marking danger.
I love dirt imbedded dried up black gum.
I love busted vending machines
and hopeful musicians.
I love anonymity
diversity
graffiti
                garbled announcements
                ad after ad after ad
                a zillion tiles
                turnstiles.

I love blue lights in a dark tunnel.

I love looking at strangers and 
imagining their homes
                their kitchens
                refrigerators
                and most of all their medicine chests 
                their underwear drawers.
I look at their clothes and imagine when they bought 
that pair of sneakers?
                that blouse?
                who gave her that sweater?
where’d he buy that cap?
everything that once was not in their lives
and now is--
the mystery of how so much
                comes from so many
                to end up in one life
—  
each the center of a completely unique
universe
and for just these few moments
I am part of it
just as they are part of
mine
and then we’re gone.
​

  • ​May you look with fascination at the most mundane aspects of life and find your heart attached to the entire Universe.​
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Yeshaya Douglas Ballon 
Spiritual Mentoring 

  • SPIRITUAL MENTOR
    • Spiritual Direction
    • Jewish Spiritual Direction
    • J. Article
    • INDIVIDUAL
    • GROUP
    • Sage-ing Mentorship
  • AUTHOR/POET
    • Unthinkable Dreams
    • A Precious Heritage
    • Cutting Room Floor
    • The Blog
    • ETHICAL WILLS
    • Poetry
  • ARTIST
  • BAKER
    • Recipe
    • References >
      • A brief history of challah
    • "Challettes"
    • Babka!
    • Bagels >
      • Claire's Bagel Recipe
    • Pizza
  • Contact