For Eight Days and Eight Nights

Editor's Note: This poem was originally published in December 2012. 

For eight days we remember our heroes
Who were able to fight off our foes

For eight nights we light our Chanukah candles
To remember, and thank God, for that great miracle

For eight days and eight nights we sing, “Maoz tzur”
And offer our home to our fellow Jews, especially the poor

For eight nights we want to spread the word
And let everyone know, even if they think we are absurd

For eight days we always say Hallel
And can’t wait to come home to play dreidel

For eight days and eight nights we are happy to be free
And make sure everyone in our family is filled with glee

For eight nights we make two to three blessings to light the menorah
Reading from siddurs like Artscroll or Mesorah

For eight days we walk around in the holiday spirit
Coming home waiting to see the menorah all lit

For eight nights we always say, “Bimay Matityahu”
In honor of him, who won despite the odds, which were a few

The eighth night while nice to see
No can argue, it is bittersweet

For the ninth day, which is after that
We walk out in our winter hat

And by the 12th day we’re mingling with non-Jews
Sometimes forgetting all our Jewish dues

But in 365 more days
Our menorah will come back with its beautiful rays.