Poem -- The voice of the Cricket at 5a.m.

The voice of the Cricket at 5a.m.
by Hillel Feldman
copied  March 2011

I sat alone - yet a thousand voices spoke to me.
Coming back to me over all the years
Of my life, and even before
Promises, arrangements, appointments- disappointments
Love , hate laughter -all the moods.

They crowded in, one o'top the other
until the noise was deafening and
I shouted for order but no one
would listen

Speak one at a time I cried trying
to mashal them but they would not hear.

I closed my ears and suddenly
I was alone again
Alone to choose whom I would address

And now military woices shouting
Above the din of the shot and shell.
"Why did we have to die
And you walked free"

You smoked just as heavily
and emphysema killed me
Why me and not you?

A voice said you said you
Loved me.
Where are you now?

Worlds whirled around ne
Oceans threw huge waves
Onto lonely sandy shores
Cities like mirages appeared
In the desert. cars, buses
Traffic whirling by.
A tram driver wearing huge
Gloves shouted hallo and
Dissapeared into the city fog.

Back to the war and the holocaust
The walking dead- These about to die
Young, old, corpses in every form
No mind could deal with this horror
And yet more crowded in.

Suddenly ! I realized that all the
faces I was looking at - were dead.
Family and friends I knew and loved
All were gone.

In some corner a cricket
Started up again the shrill sound
Driving me crazy and I knew -
I was still alive.