The Poet is a Puppeteer

The puppeteer has got the choice
to speak with any goddam voice
that he might wish, for he is free
to be who he might wish to be.

The man can be Red Riding Hood
or Big Bad Wolf within the wood,
or both, and usually he is,
for life for him is just show biz,

and he who pulls the puppet strings
can be whatever role he sings,
and, what is better, more than one.
Diversity can be great fun
when he is playing roles, contrarian,
his acts, explained, a fairy one.

Assuming such identities
can make some men non-entities,
but make some others fascinating,
because they are deracinating

the role God gave them, and their genes,
to play with puppets other scenes,
and be a puppeteer, like God.
I do it, Homer, though I nod.

I hope like Abraham I will not
be blamed for my attempts to save
my life and others, in a plot;
I’ve tried to be, like Abram, brave,

as Israel tries to be when fighting,
the conscience of the world enlightening,

preserving hearts and souls that root
identity of Jews, opposed
by many foes for their pursuit
of promises by God proposed.

Johanan Muffs wrote a wonderful explanation of Genesis 15, whose topicality is sadly made apparent in Rashi’ s explanation of Abram’s fear expressed in  Gen. 15:1: while Israel wages  defensive battles against Iran and Hamas:

הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם בַּֽמַּחֲזֶ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם אָנֹכִי֙ מָגֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ שְׂכָרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
Some time later, the word of GOD came to Abram in a vision:
“Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”

Rashi writes:

אל תירא אברם אנכי מגן לך Fear not,  Abram,  I am your shield, against punishment: for you shall not be punished on account of all these people whom you have slain. And as for your being anxious regarding the receipt of any further reward, know that שכרך הרבה מאד your reward will be exceedingly great (Genesis Rabbah 44:5).