KISSING IN SHUL

A gray haired Bar Mitzvah guest slips

in late, hunches over hoping

to be unobtrusive, cheek kisses

his pretty niece wearing a pink hat.

A teenager called to the Torah touches

the parchment with his tallit, kisses the tzitzit,

to show he knows the drill.

A prayer book slips from the hands

of a yawning woman who kisses it, folds

her arms and closes her eyes.

Before kaddish an elderly man limps

to the memory board finds

his wife, kisses her name.

As the service ends

an elderly lady in back

kisses her prayer book,

couples kiss, “Good Shabbos,”

a pregnant woman kisses her finger tips,

presses them to her belly, wishes,

“Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos.”