written 18th April 2018
They read a poem by Nathan Alterman
In the silent air of evening
Covered by blue and white and
people standing still
I understood esh, and ruach
and korban
And then, in the end, HaTikvah was sung
But really sung, so softly
All over the world, the peoples shout
their national anthems, standing tall,
swelling with pride and testosterone and
claiming something with it: superiority. Power. Expanding power in the world.
Being first among the nations.
They sang, so softly
Something sounding like a memory
Something sounding like a prayer
Something sounding like a future
Born at night. In silence. In spirit
and korban and under tears, unseen.
And I understood another word
Falling into my ears, clear as crystal
from out of the floods of Hebrew speech: ahava.
But what does love mean? What does love require?
And who are you becoming
Once you understand it?
And for sure, I thought of you. And your hopes and dreams.
And your softness
Underneath the rugged skin of daylight.