Two Rituals
In Mongolia, among Tuvan
throat singers, the sons of Ghenghis Khan,
animal blood is not to touch the ground.
To quietly end a highland beast’s life
an incision is carved along the
chest cavity, letting loose bursts
of purple arteries and fats, through which
a native hand enters, immediately
pinching the aorta, arresting the heart.
Jewish tradition established that
ritual amelioration of
sin occur before Yom
Kippur. A chicken is
grabbed at its legs, waved atop one’s head
and set aside to be slaughtered.
haTarnegol yelech le’mavet
ve’adam yizkeh le’chaim arukim.
The chicken goes unto death, and man
unto the merit of a healthful Year.
Harvard Death Fugue
On the Exploitation of Bruno Schulz
James Russell
The Jews of Istanbul
Sara Liss
The Truth about the Rosenbergs
Joel Stanley
Thinking despite Doubt, Feeling despite Truth
Jay Michaelson
Two Rituals
Joshua Bolton
Hepster Advice
Jennifer Blowdryer
Josh Goes to the Hospital
Josh Ring
Archive
Our 400 Back Pages
Saddies
David Stromberg
Zeek in Print
Winter 03 issue now on sale
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From previous issues:
Surrender
Niles Goldstein
Anything you want to be
Ben Cohen
Elephant Memory
Jay Michaelson