Tova Beck-Friedman – Fevers of the Mind

Poetry by Tova Beck-Friedman “Hair” dedicated to the women of Iran

Hair

hair in a woman is her genitalia 
proclaims an ancient book 
written by men —
and since her body is lecherous
as evident by her hair
it was ordained  —
women must cover their head

and so we do:
veil  our heads
tame our locks
straighten our curls to submission

hair in a woman is her genitalia —
therefore she should ponder 
men’s well being
men who would be exposed 
to her hair — long curly or straight
black brown blonde or red

she must put
men’s welfare
ahead of her own
lest they be aroused — 
through no fault of their own

Medusa was raped  
at Athena’s temple —
avenging the desecration of her sanctuary 
the goddess punished young Medusa
turning her hair into serpents

hair in a woman is her genitalia —
when Delilah chopped his hair
his flowing hair 
Samson lost his vigor
his potency and power 

hair in a woman is her genitalia 
a source of might
she is denied 



Bio:

Tova Beck-Friedman is a visual artist, filmmaker, writer and poet.
In recent work she fuses poetry and moving images to create cine-poems.
Her work has been shown internationally in film festivals, museums, galleries
and on television.  Her poems have been published in Whispers and Echoes magazine,  
Extinction Rebellion Creative Hub and Fevers of the Mind.   

http://tbfstudio.com
https://www.facebook.com/tova.beckfriedman
twitter: @tbfstudio

Poetry & Video from Tova Beck-Friedman : “Jephthah’s Daughter”

Jephthah’s Daughter

you might have heard my story
though couldn’t have known it was me
you might have heard my story
an only daughter
of a mighty king
young with hair long and shiny
pampered in the palace with wants and luxury
never spared a wish
then as men do
my father, the king
took arms
not sure against whom
he had vowed
on his triumphal return
that the first one to greet him
would be offered to his god
the glory of his almighty
requires that gift
I’m just a nameless girl
you might have heard my story
It was just bad luck
that I rushed to greet him
while he came down the road
you might have heard my story
just a nameless girl
sacrificed on the altar
of a mighty god
unnamed
but not spared
you might have heard my story
Post Script
Jephthah’s daughter
was remembered by the daughters of Israel
who every year lament her death
the death of a nameless girl


Bio: Tova Beck-Friedman is a visual artist, filmmaker, writer and poet.
In recent work she fuses poetry and moving images to create cine-poems.
Her work has been shown internationally in film festivals, museums, galleries
and on television.  Her poems have been published in Whispers and Echoes magazine,  
Extinction Rebellion Creative Hub and Fevers of the Mind.   

http://tbfstudio.com
https://www.facebook.com/tova.beckfriedman
twitter: @tbfstudio

Audio/Visual Poetry: Arrogance by Tova Beck-Friedman

Arrogance

“Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:28

a permission to pillage
was given        after all 
masters of the universe we are 
superior in the miracle of creation

we consume and discard
devour and deplete  
detritus floats the waves
cast-off polymers 
mistaken for food
clog fish guts 
synthetic rings choke sea turtles 
magnificent beast hunted for its ivory
succumb to destruction
other species exist no more 

and Gaia 
grieves patiently  
until she can no more 
with a swift gesture 
she wakes up nature
to rebel             revolt
hurl calamities our way

we are not humbled
nor see the light

as the world suffers
as we bury 
the dead 
who succumbed 
to sickness 
and the ones lost
seeking refuge 
in a piece of land
still fertile still safe

what thought crosses our mind

ah, arrogance



Visual Poetry by Tova Beck-Friedman “Disparity”

Bio: Tova Beck-Friedman is a visual artist, filmmaker, writer and poet. In recent work she fuses poetry and moving images to create cine-poems. Her work has been shown internationally in film festivals, museums, galleries and on television. http://tbfstudio.com @tbfstudio https://www.facebook.com/tova.beckfriedman https://www.instagram.com/tbfstudio/

Visual Poetry by Tova Beck-Friedman “Disparity”

Disparity

on a rainy night
they stand
gazing into destiny 

molded figures 
set apart
isolated 
fragmented

in the distance
mortal flesh 
awaits tomorrow  


Bio:
Tova Beck-Friedman is a visual artist, filmmaker, writer and poet.
In recent work she fuses poetry and moving images to create cine-poems.
Her work has been shown internationally in film festivals, museums, galleries
and on television.

http://tbfstudio.com
@tbfstudio
https://www.facebook.com/tova.beckfriedman
https://www.instagram.com/tbfstudio/

2 poems by Tova Beck-Friedman ” 5 Minutes to Death” “On Time”

5 minutes to death

the sun sets early
an afternoon of a wintery day
a dark night descends

it’s 5 minutes to death

clear the dinner table
wash the dishes
put them away
check my computer
for the latest reports

a wailing saxophone
seeps through shut windows

across the street
few lonely people sit around tables
scattered on sidewalk

faint memories
pain of recollections
like a phantom limb
like a mirage
i long for all that is no longer

it’s raining
pavements are wet.
streets are dark
another day
to remain within walls
hunker down in front
of my computer
procrastinate

it’s 5 minutes to death
i’m still here

On Time

perhaps it is an exaggeration
to say that time is my nemesis
but as I think about it
it’s definitely not my friend

at best it is self-sufficient
comes and goes
independent of me
never asks permission

wait a minute
I call it
wait a minute…

years ago
I scoffed at time
had it in abundance
now left
with scattered crumbs
of leftover moments
I crave it

wait a minute…
I call it
but time progresses

dates too, arrive
they always do
dates to celebrate
dates to remember
dates on my calendar
dates in my diary
birthdays
holidays
always arrive
without consent
… autonomous

as time vanishes
and existence fade
I’m left with vestiges
of moments past

day in day out
time moves steadily
a minute in
a minute out
hours
minutes
seconds
a whole life span

Audio/Visual Poetry: Arrogance by Tova Beck-Friedman

Visual Poetry by Tova Beck-Friedman “Disparity”