April 1st, besides being April Fools Day

And besides being the day of the International Edible Book Festival
(Which I wouldn’t have known about if it weren’t for awholecanofplot)

It’s also the first day of National Poetry Month

On this first day of the month, I joined a friend and visited one of my favorite local commercial outlets: The Book House

It’s the only used bookstore in town where I can say I have never left emptyhanded.

Some say the place is haunted, but I think it’s the resident cats that help me find the books. They were lying outside today , near some tables with some bargain books, and I walked inside with two of them. I added a third book on the inside, and left having spent $18.

From a collection of Hebrew Verse, some poems by Samuel Hanagid (993-1056)

War

War is at first like a beautiful girl with whom all men long to play, but in the end like a repulsive hag whose suitors all weep and ache.

The Master

No master will hire you, unless he can expect to be idle while you tire and become weary in his service. You are for him like tongs: with his hands he pushes you into the fire, but he takes great care not to burn himself on you.

The Prison

The earth is a prison to man all his life. Therefore I say this truth to a fool: though you rush about, the sky surrounds you on all sides. Try to get out, if you can.

Translations by T. Carmi