By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

Religious poetry that speaks to both observant and secular Jews is a rare phenomenon. That’s why it’s always a pleasure to read poems by Yehoshua November. He has a way of finding words that address both worlds. This is certainly true of his most recent book, “The Concealment of Endless Night” (Orison Books). While those familiar with Judaism will have a deeper understanding of some of his poems, most offer ideas that will resonate with all readers. 

Two themes run through these poems: the first is November’s exploration of the mystery behind why there is suffering in the world. The second focuses on his relationship with his wife; these poems offer beautiful images of the woman with whom he shares a life. This mixture of sacred and profane works because it portrays the poet’s struggles with daily life. 

“The Concealment of Endless Night” features 32 poems. Some of my favorites include: 

• “Teachers and Students, “ which offers examples of how students affect each other’s lives. In one stanza, November notes,”Strangely, often, / teachers’ most hurtful comments / are also untrue.” He writes of his impatience with his son and the surprising lessons he learned about students, particularly how some carry hurts deep inside them.
• An exploration of suffering in “Hearing Roy Orbison in a Mikvah in Salem, MA.” The poet describes the sorrows the singer faced during his life (two of his young sons died in a fire) before writing of Moses asking God, “Who could have made the world any way He wanted, / why He’d created suffering.”
• A love song to his wife in “This Summer Day,” in which he notes, “How you have remained beautiful / over these fourteen years, / beautiful and optimistic, despite / the nights in the small apartment / with great fears, carrying cups of water / to four sleepless children,” while he commuted to teaching jobs to support his family.
• “Universal Symbol,” a short poem that packs a powerful punch as it ponders the question, “If a Jew is a symbol of exile – /a symbol for others – /what is a Jew herself?”
• A second love song to his wife, “Poem on Our Eighteenth Anniversary,” during which he discusses how they met and the way their relationship grew. 
• An offering about the life of a poet in “Poetry Readings,” in which November explores how he differs from most of authors who read at poetry events.
• “Morning Prayer and the Waste Management Co.,” which does a wonderful job juxtaposing the sacred and profane, as the poet tries to pray while, outside his window, sanitation workers collect garbage.
• The poet’s acknowledgment of women’s spiritual side in his “Women at Prayer,” which he ends with a question about God and human suffering. 
• The beautiful, moving “Chanukah: Kiel, Germany” about a photograph of a menorah taken by Rachel Posner in 1932 that also shows a Nazi flag hanging on the building across the street. November compares Rachel and her husband, Akiva, to the ancient Rabbi Akiva and his wife, Rachel. The stories of both these couples leave the poet pondering “the concealment of God” in our world.

Poetry lovers will find much of interest in “The Concealment of Endless Night,” while readers looking for insights into religion and daily life should be intrigued by November’s thoughts. The author is to be congratulated for another book of excellent poetry.