The week I binge an anime show / is the same week I practice a tahara [1] / in the first episode / they lose arms and legs / and bodies / deconstruct and reconstruct / from metal, skin and souls / they call it / transmutation / they transmute their limbs / deconstruct themselves / and reconstruct their hands / to practice again / the only rule / they can’t bring back the dead / in my first tahara ritual / I wash her body / a grandmother / comb her tangled hair / keep her head steady / a precious vase / full and empty / it made me question / the softness of my mother / her swollen lungs / my own body / existing / however long / we transmute this grandmother / into gentle rest / sprinkle dirt / like snow / upon her linens / pray to collect / her beauty / upon returning home / I watch the second episode / learn about creatures made of souls / and memories / from people who died / aren’t we also souls / and memories / from people who died / don’t we also transmute / each touch / a renewal / each glance / a blooming /
[1] Tahara, meaning “purity,” is a Jewish ritual cleansing of the deceased, often performed by members of a local Chevra Kadisha, meaning “holy society.”
Shosh Lovett-Graff is a writer, organizer, and student at Harvard Divinity school, where they study religion, politics, and spiritual care. Their work has been published in Silver Rose Magazine, The Bangalore Review, Scapegoat Review, EcoTheo Review, Poetry Online, TAB, The Westchester Review, and more. Their website is shoshanalovettgraff.com.
**We do our best to preserve the integrity of each poem; however, due to programming limitations, some poems may read differently on a mobile phone and in certain browsers. For best viewing, use Chrome on a desktop/laptop.