To:
Subject: Poetry book
Dear Sir/Madam,
In the last two weeks (I am writing these words of mine on Thursday, March 4th, 2021) I
wrote the poems attached here, and I am interested in looking into the possibility of
publishing a poetry book. Yet, it must be taken into consideration that there are two main
difficulties:
1) Economic investment during the process is from my side, to the required extent this is not
possible—I am a person who lives on a disability pension from the National Insurance
Institute and belongs to a population in need.
2) Due to my physical disability, I cannot come to the book publishings which are
significantly far from my area of residence (I reside in the neighborhood of Kiryat Menachem
that is in Jerusalem). Also, I don’t have a driver’s license or a car, and because of my medical
condition and the medications that I take as a chronic patient, I will never get a licence and
drive. And also because of my financial and medical condition, my ability to come to the
book publishing that is in another city is not possible through public transportation either.
However, in spite of these hardships I am interested in checking if the publishing process can
be done anyway, one way or another.
Best regards,
Assaf Benyamini.
PS: What do you think is the available royalty rate that can be given for such a project?
Poem No. 1 - The Migrant Patient
moving between clinics, because they don’t make discounts,
and the procedures are always hard.
simple processes - in clinics always by force of complications,
and they always make the patients nervous.
all in all treatment is what we want,
and poor service that leaves us dissatisfied we’re “winners.”
so how come people are academics and intellectuals,
including the doctors, never listening to the simplest explanations.
maybe their pride is the hinderance,
and if so maybe we should consider,
replacing their profession that’s turned into a burden and idleness.
all in all asking the clerk at the clinic
for a prescription or permission,
and directed to the pharmacy back and forth - and again,
just like that, with a redundant and sad rattling.
Poem No. 2 - Government Offices
writing letters to offices of the government,
and trying to protest against the injustice,
but apparently the letters are not seen, or maybe actually torn and neglected.
and the officers, oh officers!!
after all they are always the most clever and just,
and they support the hardest social injustices.
and why is it that there won’t be responsibility anymore,
without so much negligence and silliness.
the mentally ill and the disabled - they must not be thrown away and abandoned,
to the financial battlefields,
and this is in the name of “enlightened” free market values.
for many of us coping is impossible and inhumane,
and the irresponsibility of the government offices,
and promiscuous progression is never a worthy excuse for promiscuity,
immorality and injustice, which lead to foolishness.
Poem No. 3 - HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)
HMO officials, why are they confused,
why are patients’ messages are not transferred
and cause turmoil
I sent a fax - it came back, not transferred,
there’s no option to contact by mail - though it could make lives easier,
of yours and of the patients.
so why is it always complex to send them a message or a letter,
we cheered for an advanced startup nation where no problem is supposed to be in such a
situation.
here are the debates unnecessary, harmful and also not healthy,
so why do you keep on insisting on them,
after all there is no logic or expectation here,
and everybody loses - patients and also teammates.
Poem No. 4 - The Disabled Status
the disabled come, the disabled don’t go - and in the eyes of establishment they don’t exist,
so why do you want and insist on,
leading a life as regular and normal as possible.
most of us want to really integrate into society,
so why does it insist on keeping us out of it,
and thus hurting us and itself.
please don’t get confused,
we don’t want to fail ahead of time,
and we make efforts and try more and more,
but cruel world won’t give a chance and after that moral preachings from it we will receive,
preachings without a trace of morals and conscience - and representing is a double game,
ugly and full of hypocrisy,
of continuing abuse - and not giving every chance for a real improvement or correction.
unfair, unjust - but who cares, after all everything is politically correct,
legally everyone is masked up,
and the injuries thanks to us are always “part of the procedure,”
“according to the procedures” - and obviously always legally strict.
Poem No. 5 - Psychiatric Pills
do the pills help,
after all they do not heal our personality,
and cause severe side effects.
tiring, blurring - and they don’t change the reality,
and sometimes cause physical illnesses,
so why do many doctors,
believe in psychiatric pills.
maybe there are things that help more,
and life conditions will continue to remain unchanged,
and I think that there are thing and situations,
which the psychiatric pills will never be able to help.
I know that they’re sometimes important,
but maybe exaggerating, and under pressure of drug companies
there are doctors that sometimes give up - instead of only thinking about the patients’ health.
and to finish I will say that I’m neither against them nor support them,
and I only want to put a question mark.
Poem No. 6 - The Politically Disabled
the disabled need help in funding - to get a direction,
need resources and support - to overcome the blow.
the welfare and the medication will only be given according to the whims of the rules and the
government,
and this must be taken into consideration and implemented accordingly,
and without “paka paka”, “nanana”, or “shashasha” - why does the prime minister despise us?
Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu - the crisis is serious,
severe - and also you admit it,
so please do not despise the journalists and the presenters,
who in this case represent us, the public!!!
this behavior of yours is intolerable - you,
are responsible for the management of our country,
so please steer your ear to our feelings,
and you know people are dying - so why
why do you look down on everybody without mercy,
and one more word for you, we’re already moved e-n-o-u-g-h with this!!!
Poem No. 7 - Wait in Line
do not wait in line,
being late to unbearable amounts of meetings,
there’s no responsibility - and as a result of it, we will die.
wait for your turn I say,
and kidnappers, threats and curses instead of authorizing,
one must admit neglect,
instead of attacking those who try to do good, and fix for the benefit of all,
know how to accept criticism as adults and responsible people - and stop,
and if not - then everyone will lose at the end.
the culture of nonsense and the "as if" are not a proper excuse,
and the norm of laziness, leads to distance and banishment,
of the gatekeepers who only want fixing and healing.
and alas the lazy are smart people,
university graduates and intellectuals, and not just people,
so why don’t they wake up,
and improve as much as they can.
the graduates stick to laziness and meaninglessness,
knowing they will result in the wreckage and havoc of the culture,
a spiritual destruction - which could drag much more painful, practical, and actual
destruction.
Poem No. 8 - The Joy of the Public
why aren’t people saved - maybe they want to get sick with corona?
people are breathing - they’re not scared of us
and death is what we’re defeating.
acting promiscuously,
and there’s no personal model, safety or obedience,
in the powers of the gifted - and in all other hurtful people.
damned pride - it causes disaster,
people don’t care - about their friends and who will die,
and to whom it will cause severe damage and won’t be able to recover,
and only because of the stupid and foolish behavior of someone who tried to get smarter.
on Purim we will screw our heads, but wait: he did not mean this joy
says the wise and the holy Book of Esther,
but a responsible and harmless joy - after all
this is the essence of the Holy Torah.
so please think and use your judgement - accept
constructive criticism and change your customs - it could help us remain alive!!!
Poem No. 9 - The Pharmacists
pharmacists bully,
to sell drugs not ready,
renew prescription - they say.
but I've been taking the same medications for many years I say,
however nothing helps,
because to them it’s written on the computer.
angry - fed up with a stupid discussion,
alas, this thing repeats itself over and over and I’m not hesitating.
but the HMO is cooked,
damaged health doesn’t interest them,
and patients that can’t find a reasonable response to the sick and the distress.
and in a discouraging and unfair reality,
the indifference of the box office ends us, overwhelming and dominating.
Poem No. 10 - Poems of the Disabled
I write poems - about the disabled,
from the discouraging reality, I cannot get to run away - or to forget about it.
our struggle is totally thrusted,
the psyche, the materialism, the thinking and in fact what is not.
we will always get negative answers,
from everyone and anyone we won’t look at,
and without a solution we’ll always stay unchanged - and who the hell will solve the
situation?
Poem No. 11 - The As If
everything we have is in as if,
I can’t even continue to hear,
the culture of vanity wins in size,
and everybody is hurt - today, tomorrow and also yesterday.
how did it become the queen of language,
yes - the word that means removal, of discretion, common sense, long term planning
and also great liability.
but one must always accept the convention,
if I rebel I will always lose the war,
and apparently the war is lost,
the culture of vanity - remember?
it’s always the big winner
is digitization the one to blame,
what’s the relation, people will ask,
and continue to be hooked to the screens.
Poem No. 12 - Bureaucracy Tourism
bureaucracy tourism - does it serve democracy,
tourists to visit are taken,
in the Ministry of the Internal Affairs - and also in other ministries of the government.
is it possible that there might be potential here,
the economy in a period of crisis may be worthwhile
but the soul-hurt poet came up with the idea,
then maybe he’s automatically afflicted with irrationality,
then maybe it’s easy to ignore - and not to cope with the disgrace.
is this a stupid push,
or a growth engine during the corona period and has a chance to be blessed,
and maybe you’ll earn the state money
then maybe it’s not worth disqualifying, considering, and maybe also succeeding.
Poem No. 13 - Courts of Law and of the Disabled
we can’t prove,
but we’re certainly promiscuous to every need and discourse,
judges are inconsiderate
and they never behave humanly
law schools - don’t teach how to be human,
but only rude lawyers,
who only consider criminals - not the disabled who need kindness.
“deal with it, make an effort” - they tell us,
and there’s no possibility to fulfill the goals of the efforts.
alas, reality doesn’t make it possible,
and all the desires and the aspirations will remain unchanged without any hope or
expectation.
Poem No. 14 - The Neglect
medical neglect - considers itself to be professional,
it demands collaboration, and from forecast to execution.
but execution is wounded
and a patient should always be docile, the cooperation the doctor demands - isn’t ready to be
taken
criticism - and on its determination it’ll always insist.
and why are they never ready,
To listen to patients too, after all, the soul-hurt have an opinion too - even if they are
usually not the owner of the century,
because the decision concerns their health.
so doctors - please try to listen,
this is about our fate - and therefore we’ll always have something to say,
and don’t look at it in a negative way,
this is about the part of recovery and recuperation.
a patient should be responsible for his fate - and it is a must
to encourage him to do so and not to fail him.
Poem No. 15 - Public Workers
public workers are offended — and we’re being sued,
and why do they not cancel the law we’re asking.
the hypocrisy is celebrated, this is democracy says the government,
but only towards enemies from the outside its respect applies.
a public worker who is offended - should go to treatment and not drag us behind,
to busy courts - which can’t withstand the burden,
and deal with nonsense.
so maybe the poet will receive a prosecution,
after all, I am a citizen who offended and hurt a public worker,
after all, I called him to go for treatment,
instead of keeping my mouth shut about everything and anything.
Poem No. 16 - The Disabled at Work
the disabled are working - failing to move forward at work,
because they don’t update the disregard,
and changes in law aren’t made.
social workers who try to help at the front,
and without any practical ability,
their necessary work doesn’t have standards and budgets,
and everyone always forgets us and them.
finance officials continue abusing,
and because of them one cannot recover,
intertwined hand in hand, our distress and their distress are immortalized,
and never resolved.
there are always much more important issues,
and the government on an inefficient and lavish budget will never give up.
oppression of social workers and the disabled are one,
they will continue to gallop into the abyss with great fear,
forgotten, abandoned - without human and civil rights that are excluded,
without any logic and casually.
is this the reality we want to live in,
or is it possible to and should it change?
Poem No. 17 - Transparent Disability
transparent disability, not visible, not treated,
but is a barrel and it definitely exists and kicks,
it never gives rest and cure.
why don’t they believe - that it exists but they don’t see,
the souls who just want to live, they abuse,
and basic rights, they don’t give.
and we suffer - but not recognized as the rest of the disabled.
external visibility wins the truth and the facts,
and the disabled die on the street only because of superficial, arbitrary treating but despite
everything confident,
the members of the Knesset don’t count us,
and they are populists also, not serious and not professional,
and they don’t stop the catastrophe that they can prevent.
Poem No. 18 - The Poem of Psychiatry
psychiatry looks down on people, not at people,
it works according to the book, and without listening, hustle and coercion.
the mentally ill in its method are always retarded,
and for their actions they are not responsible,
and thus patients don’t exist as human beings,
but only as statistical data.
until when will psychiatrists not learn with their pride and snobbery,
they will put the diagnosis and never listen,
continue to regulate the patients’ emotions,
and God forbid they won’t listen to the soul-hurt requesting to raise a simple question.
a patient feels what he feels - and not necessarily what the psychiatrist decides for him to
need
to feel,
and why is it ever left opaque to a humane and ill soul that’s asking for help.
Poem No. 19 - The Desperate
disabled at a dead end, unable to do anything,
there’s no future, no past, no present, and only existing unclearly from lust,
and goals and destinations, it’s already passed.
continues like a robot, a machine as if there are no people in the picture
and without a dream worthy of aspiration, hope, success or disappointment.
work, personal, physical, or emotional survival - without a real expectation,
everything is stuck, closed and opaque - the reality doesn’t allow any direction,
a life that awaits - and doesn’t know.
angry at the world, and won’t be able to reconcile,
without smiles or the taste of life, and not believing in treatments,
without an expectation - locking the thoughts in a safe box,
in chaos - everything is over and that’s it.
Poem No. 20 - The Poem of the Allowances
the disabled want to finish the month,
they don’t get food and medicine - and they’re ignored.
we are stuck and they don’t accept us.
everyone is working on us,
and meanwhile desperate but they go on - we need a shelter and basic products in order to be
alive.
obliged to be determined,
we must look for solutions - and therefore not give up.
Poem No. 21 - The Corona Age
the crisis of the musicians who promoted the youtubers
and so we look forward, longing and hoping,
we’re overcoming the corona.
hugging the parents now, after all we’re already vaccinated
and despite not trusting the media and the reports.
we want eradication of the pandemic
and by no means desperate,
economically we are crushed - all the businesses are closed for us,
and despite everything we want to go back to life.
and despite all the difficulties - we keep the guidelines,
and in the end we exterminate the corona disease.
Poem No. 22 - The Organization
how will the inspiration be promoted,
after all, my soul desires to write songs about the struggle of the mentally disabled.
but a struggle must be organized,
orderly and by no means scattered.
so does the inspiration demand the same distraction
can it kill the struggle or the protest?
it’s probably not the case that I have the answer.
and it may be a trap, and can those who plan ahead on the go
really write poems?
and at the end of the day I don’t know the answers,
but for me these questions are honorable,
and they exist in persistent deliberation.
Poem No. 23 - The Surveyors
survey companies always lie,
and they refer to an absolute contempt.
I felt it personally - as soon as
I received one hundred shekels in a purchase note,
over a year and a half of work.
the note was very difficult for realization,
and this says it all about the countries of the used exploitation,
conducted by the survey company in collaboration
with my action and to work willingly together and seriously.
this is how the survey company behaves,
in cancellation - and implementing occupation of financing and property,
and without a trace of humanity or thoughtfulness.
and there are many ads that promise “economic freedom”,
but in practice only leading to additional troubles and obligations,
and complicating their “clients” with enforcement and collection authorities.
academic statisticians - why are you exploiting and deceiving
the most sentient public like that,
and right - because of the corona there are many more people in distress
economically difficult - so instead you need to take into consideration
taking advantage of their distress for the worse,
and steal their last penny,
just like that and for no reason.
and when will the statisticians finally understand it,
that the academic degree doesn’t justify them being just so proud,
because that’s the way they get people to be even more desperate,
and cause more poverty and severe social distress factors.
Poem No. 24 - Institutional Failures
countries of contempt, neglect and omission,
I am convinced that these are on purpose
and for this reason they call me paranoid - but
I don’t care because in any case I have nothing to lose.
I don’t get cooperation,
and there is never a brave correction or decision.
so how is it possible,
that always someone who wants to protest and improve
out of good intentions, is the guilty one.
and enough with the pompous ego,
a substantive and requested treatment after all, is so important,
and why is it important who warns about the neglect,
the desolation, the inefficiency and the charlatanry.
and at the end of the day - only
the amendment is the important thing,
therefore one must demand the fix and the cease
of refusal, which is always automatically given,
with regard to identifying the juncture of mere criticism,
instead of fixing in a more practical and elegant way.
Poem No. 25 - The Haaretz Newspaper
“a newspaper for thinking people,” not ready to understand the hardships of the weak layers,
and its workers behaving disgustingly in snobbery and pride.
the Haaretz newspaper is not for the earthly people - for sure
not to the working class.
awful hypocrisy and lies - after all they are not
better than the rest of the Israeli newspapers - and in many cases
not more intelligent either.
and who will put them in their place - once and forever,
and even though the poet in them is sometimes helped,
but at the same time angry at their behavior and because
of their poor and defective values.
Poem No. 26 - The NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)
everyone seems to support the rights of the disabled,
but only with the others,
and like that they roll responsibility from office to office, from authority to authority,
and the disabled are left without any response with authority and responsibility.
I’m disabled - and the Nimby answers make me outraged,
but it’s legal so there’s nothing to do,
and everything is done according to the procedures,
and never against the accepted rules and refusals.
not in my house, not in my neighborhood, not in my city, not in my country
and favorable and highly recommended, not in my universe either,
so the disabled person has no address for aid or treatment,
and will be thrown to his death in a lonely and abandoned street.
yet what are the boundaries of the Nimby I ask,
and so I’m not determined, precise and just doubting and meandering,
alas there’s a collision here,
with human rights and with the right to privacy.
so I ask to put question marks and to spark a thought,
and not a sweeping deduction without any justification.
Poem No. 27 - The Environmental Anthem
why is everyone rigorous without any need for standards,
after all we cause great damage to the environment,
the fruit, the vegetable - they don’t look perfect,
But definitely good for food or contributions
for the ones in need who really need it.
and why not change the habit,
after all everyone will earn from it without any doubt,
and on the social gaps and the poverty locks to facilitate.
we are criminals in our environment,
and it returns and will also return to us as our reward,
and continue to take revenge on us without any consideration,
because it has no agenda - neither servility nor condescension,
and it will say to us: after all you, are human beings
you didn’t take me into account for hundreds and thousands of years - so
why should I have mercy on you or consider you and treat you as people or human?
and is the essential change really possible,
after all, the industry and the corporations are always strong,
and in our world they’re always sure that they - and only they can do anything.
but we are living objects,
and therefore must act quickly, with determination - and without any hesitation,
hate isn’t natural disasters, in forms and world
in the end, starvation is what we will get.
but wait: a soul-hurt person is writing these things,
so maybe that’s a reason good enough to keep ignoring again
this time and also to continue doing nothing and be negligent,
and in the end who is the insane one, I ask.
Personal details:
First name: Assaf.
Last name: Benyamini.
ID number: 029547403
Full mailing address:
Assaf Benyamini,
Costa Rica Street 115,
Entrance A’ - Apartment 4,
Kiryat Menachem,
Jerusalem, postal code: 9662592
Phone numbers: Home: 02-6427757. Mobile: 058-6784040.
Fax: 077-2700076
My e-mail addresses: 029547403@walla.co.il or asb783a@gmail.com or
assaf197254@yahoo.co.il or ass.benyamini@yandex.com or a32assaf@outlook.com or
assaf002@mail2world.com
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