DER YIDDISH-VINKL September 17, 2004
For our consistent contributor, Stanley Siegelman, no subject — no matter how lofty or lowly — escapes his prolific and potent pen, commonly dipped in a mad mix of acid and honey. Here’s his latest.
NEWS ITEM: At least five women working at the United Nations charged that the organization’s high commissioner for refugees has sexually harassed them by “grabbing their behinds.” He did not deny doing so, claiming only that his “friendly gestures” had been “misunderstood“ U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan has admonished him.
Hentn Oyfn Hintn
An emese shande! Oy, me ken
Meshuge vern by der U.N!
Der “commisar fun refugees”
Er glet di vayber! Dos iz mis!
In tukhis git er zey a kneyp!
“Gevald , oy ratevet! A ‘rape.’”
A man vi er! A man zo hoykh!
Es shist fun im a flam, a roykh!
Kofi Annan, zayn balebos
Shrayt “Yoyshe! Zol shoyn zayn a shlos!”
Der commissar, er git a lakh:
“Nisht mer shpil ikh mit bekelakh,”
Zogt er — un vider heybt on lakhn:
“Ikh gey fun dem tsu hekh’re zakhn.”
The Hand That Reddens Cheeks
U.N. commish of refugees
Is lacking in “noblesse oblige.”
He’s somewhat oversexed, we fear
Glad-handing ladies on the rear!
The countries of the world aghast Recoil at females thus har-assed.
United, nations want to know
How high commish could sink so low.
At bottom, he’s been unrefined
And to the derrière inclined.
A castigation of the man
Comes from his boss, Kofi Annan:
“I hereby for U.N. decree
A strictly hands-off policy!”
The culprit now cries out in shame:
“In future, I will higher aim.”
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
