Seventy souls from Canaan came

To Mitzrayim’s domain;

The revered Yosef, their provider,

Lived apart, as outsiders,

For Egypt’s culture was depraved.

When the boundaries faded,

The Hebrews were enslaved.

 

Moshe grew up as royalty

Among the Egyptians –

An outsider to his Hebrew origins.

But Moshe shared their pain,

Felt their afflictions,

He saw a Hebrew slave

Being beaten to death, one day;

Moshe knew he couldn’t just walk away.

Killed the Mitzri,

Buried him in the sand

Had to flee – outside

To Midian.

 

Ruth, a princess of Moabite royalty

Chose not to abandon Naomi;

Ruth’s sister Orpah left for Moav

To their father, King Eglon,

Back to riches and historical oblivion.

Ruth gleaned scraps in the fields

Left for the poor,

Humbly came before Boaz

On the threshing floor,

Stood outside this world’s values,

Chose integrity –

Chosen to be mother

To Mashiach’s dynasty.

 

David didn’t stand tall and mighty

As his brothers did;

Rejected, an outsider

He was just a scrawny kid,

Someone of no importance,

Bound for the dust-heap,

He was sent out to the hills

To tend the flocks of sheep.

Alone with Hashem,

Psalms of praise, he would sing,

How astonished the “accomplished,”

– To see David chosen king!

 

A child of slaves

Can be greater than a prince;

Hashem does not regard

Wealth or affluence;

Morality and decency

Define success,

They’ll endure when the rest

Fade to nothingness.

 

The FBI, Department of Justice,

The US Supreme Court

Have all failed America,

Sad to report.

 

But, 12-plus brave Senators

Led by the valiant Ted Cruz

Have stepped up to rescue

This country’s values;

A ten-day audit

Of the crucial swing states

Will adjudicate

Democracy’s fate.

Coming in from the outside,

They just may turn the tide.

 

Don’t look down, Sleepy Joe,

Ready or not,

Comeuppance is coming,

It’s gonna be a steep drop

Though your brazenness besot.

It will profit you not

Sheim resha’im yirkav,

May the name of the wicked rot!

 

Alma d’shikra –

This is a world of lies.

If you stand for the truth,

You’re usually standing outside,

But it won’t always be such;

Keep faith and be bold,

Outsiders will one day

Come in from the cold!

 By Sharon Marcus