I really like this poem, and the use of imagery is very well done. Great work!
~NotMyShoes

I really liked this. Often when you read historical fiction, poetry etc, they don't really get into the whole feel of the time. But you used all the right vocabulary and terms, and it really rang true. Cool beans! :)

Interesting. ^_^ It becomes prettier and prettier when I read it over.
sophoric smoke --> soporific smoke?

Have you ever heard of Matisyahu? He's a Hasidic reggae (odd yes but not bad) that sings a song about Jerusalem.
Pop culture aside, this is good. Normally I don't read a lot of poetry because I have a knack for finding very trite poems but yours is good.
Now I'm off to argue the proper pronunciation of 'Ye-haw' with my mother (we're from Texas we could do this for weeks)!
Update!
E.