Ow’dat (2015)
(The Return)

Highlighted verses are by Mahmoud Darwish, the rest by Yehuda Amichai

I come from there and I have memories 
Born as mortals are, I have a mother 
And a house with many windows, 
I have brothers, friends, 
And a prison cell with a cold window.

If I forget thee, Jerusalem, 
Then let my right be forgotten. 
Let my right be forgotten, and my left remember. 
Let my left remember, and your right close 
And your mouth open near the gate. 

Mine is the wave, snatched by sea-gulls, 
I have my own view, 
And an extra blade of grass. 
Mine is the moon at the far edge of the words, 
And the bounty of birds, 
And the immortal olive tree. 

I shall remember Jerusalem 
And forget the forest -- my love will remember, 
Will open her hair, will close my window, 
will forget my right, 
Will forget my left. 

I walked this land before the swords 
Turned its living body into a laden table.

 If the west wind does not come 
I'll never forgive the walls, 
Or the sea, or myself. 

I come from there. 
Should my right forget 
My left shall forgive, 
I render the sky unto her mother 
I shall forget all water, 

When the sky weeps for her mother. 
I shall forget my mother. 

And I weep to make myself known 
To a returning cloud. 

If I forget thee, Jerusalem, 
Let my blood be forgotten. 

I learnt all the words worthy of the court of blood 
So that I could break the rule. 

I shall touch your forehead, 
Forget my own, 

I learnt all the words 
My voice change 
and broke them up 
For the second
and last time 
To make A
To the most terrible
 single word:  
of
voices -- 

Homeland…..

Or silence.