Orthodox Young Men
By Don Iannone
Young,
studious-looking Hebrew men.
Orthodox.
Flying from Cleveland to Toronto
on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
All dressed in black,
save for bright white dress shirts
with crisp collars.
Large black hats,
with odd up-turned brims.
Good for catching rain,
if you care to.
Dangling dark hair locks,
folded neatly behind their ears.
Barbering must be a snap
in Orthodox communities.
Only one style cut to remember.
Polite.
Serious,
but smileful.
Lacking--
in the nebulousness
beseiging most males their age.
They're lucky to have each other.
They seem connected--
to themselves
and each other.
Souls.
Just like everyone else
on the plane.
Making their way
through life,
and at the right moment,
letting life makes its way
through them.