Child of Peace

On a mild May morning
of buzzing bees and blooming profusion
on a dew-damp bench we sat
and shared our confusion.

“You have heard the Voice?”

“I have heard.

A moment before the mine
blew us to Nowhere
He bade me jump.
Amid charred flesh and burning metal
His book held to my heart
on the dry desert air I heard:

Believe and serve
a child is coming!’

“He is come.

Son of man and prince of peace,
fair he is and pure, as promised.
Butter and honey, only, pass his lips,
beneath the olive trees he sleeps
and evil knows he not.” 

“Where is the child?”

“Beyond the wall that confines us.

They call this place
‘A House for Mad Ones’,
but we are not crazed,
only weighted down
with the loneliness of knowing
the drama of our destiny.”

 

יֶלֶד הַשָּׁלוֹם

בְּבֹקֶר מַאי נָעִים

שֶׁל זִמְזוּם דְּבוֹרִים וְשִׁפְעַת פְּרִיחָה

עַל סַפְסָל לַח מִטַּל יָשַׁבְנוּ

נְבוֹכִים זֶה עִם זוֹ.

 

“הֲשָׁמַעְתָּ אֶת הַקּוֹל?”

 

“אָכֵן שָׁמַעְתִּי.

 

רֶגַע לִפְנֵי שֶׁהַמּוֹקֵשׁ

הִתְפּוֹצֵץ וְהֵעִיף אוֹתָנוּ לְכָל עֵבֶר

צִוָּה עָלַי לָנוּס.

בֵּינוֹת לַבָּשָׂר  הֶחָרוּךְ וְהַבַּרְזֶל הַלּוֹהֵט

סִפְרוֹ הָדוּק אֶל לוּחַ לִבִּי

בַּאֲוִיר הַמִּדְבָּר הַיָּבֵשׁ שָׁמַעְתִּי:

 

הַאֲמִינוּ וְעִבְדוּ  אוֹתוֹ

יֶלֶד בָּא לָעוֹלָם!’

 

“הוּא כְּבָר כָּאן.

 

יְצִיר אָדָם וּנְסִיךְ הַשָּׁלוֹם

בָּהִיר הוּא, וְטָהוֹר, כַּאֲשֶׁר הֻבְטַח

רַק חֶמְאָה וּדְבַשׁ יָבוֹאוּ בִּשְׂפָתָיו

תַּחַת עֵץ הַזַּיִת יָנִיחַ רֹאשׁוֹ

וְלֹא יֵדַע  רַע”.

 

“הֵיכָן הוּא הַיֶּלֶד?”

 

“מֵעֶבְרָהּ שֶׁל חוֹמַת הַגָּדֵר.

 

קוֹרְאִים לַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה

‘בַּיִת לִמְטֹרָפִים’

אוּלַם דַּעְתֵּנוּ לֹא נִטְרְפָה

רַק נִדְחַקְנוּ מַטָּה

בּוֹדְדִים, בְּיוֹדְעֵנוּ

אֶת הַדְּרָמָה אֲשֶׁר בְּגוֹרָלֵנוּ.”

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