conuly

I'm going to post the first, as it's short, and link to the other:

1. Notes on the Spring Holidays ["Hanukkah"]
By Charles Reznikoff

In a world where each man must be of use
and each thing useful, the rebellious Jews
light not one light but eight—
not to see by but to look at.

Link

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2. My Dead Relatives by Myrna Nieves

This really is a bit long, and in two languages, but the About This Poem by the author says: “When we relocate, emigrate, or seek asylum, the family members, friends, and neighbors [who] were around us and/or cared for us pass away. Often, it was not possible to enjoy their company through the years. They fade away, leaving their memory in our souls, and sometimes we are still mysteriously connected to them or imagine their presences in our lives. We miss their humanity and affection, and realize this love is part of the fabric of existence. The departed make us aware of our mortality. They contributed to who we are today.”