Madison, Wisconsin
Judith grew up in a three-generation household where oral storytelling was a part of life along with a deep love and reverence for books. She loved making up stories, and formally entered a writer’s world as she approached her jubilee year, her 50th birthday, bringing the richness of a life fully lived. Five major influences were her work experiences—her social activism, her deep connection to Judaism, to feminism, and living in other countries for three years. Working to become fluent in three languages other than English, and connecting to the poetry and literature of poets and writers in five languages other than English has deepened her own love of language, and shown her the unique beauty of each language, and its connection to the culture and people who use it.
Recent work appears or is forthcoming in the 2013 and 2014 Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar, Jewish Women’s Literary Annual Volume 9, The Agora Volumes 2 and 3, Midwest Prairie Review 2013, and Drash Northwest Mosaic 2012. In 2011, Judith was a poet-in-residence at Lapham Elementary School in Madison, WI. She also worked with students at Mt. Horeb Middle School on poetry projects.
Earlier writing includes Amsterdam Days Book and CD and her work has appeared in Calliope, Cobblestone, Free Verse, Grace, Neovictorian Cochlea, Peninsula Pulse, and The Deronda Review.PUBLICATIONS:
Amsterdam Days, chapbook - $10.00 plus $1.80 shipping.
Amsterdam Days, CD - $10.00 plus $1.80 shipping.
(WI residents add 5.5% sales tax)
Mama,
I wash you feeling
your sensuous hands
bathing my child’s body
in the strength and dignity
you gave me all your life.
My canvas cries
unfinished
while washing you with love,
my hand longs
for my brush.
Mortal women and children died
following the mores
of my time,
but my sensual women and children
live for eternity.
—Judith Zukerman
appeared in Alehouse 2011slips away
live fully and freely
dance in the Garden of Life
cherish loved ones
magical moments
harvest huge logs of decades
years, months, days
hours, minutes, seconds
let life‘s passion
burn to embers.
—Judith Zukerman
appeared in Grey Sparrow Press Fall 2011