This scanned copy of Nissim Ezekiel’s poem, “The Second Candle”, in the poet’s own handwriting, is being reproduced with permission from his daughter, Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca, who generously shared it with IWE Online.
“My father’s poem ‘The Second Candle‘ was written in Bombay, sometime when I was in school. The poem is special to me as it expresses the deep faith my mother had in God. Throughout her life, I remember her saying God is great, whether we were experiencing joy or sorrow, or challenging circumstances. Her faith was simple yet profound. The poem speaks of her faith in the last lines. This is one of my favorite poems of my father’s, since it was written as a response to a request by my mother to light the second candle to pray for the rapidly failing eyesight of one of my aunts. Being Jewish, we lit the candles, one candle on each evening, for the Sabbath, on Fridays and Saturdays. Lighting the second candle was a significant act. My mother believed that only God could perform a miracle and restore my aunt’s eyesight. The poem is framed and hangs on my living room wall in my home. It is a daily reminder of the faith and love of both my parents.”
-Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca
