TISHA B\'AV 2003 JERUSALEM

On the eve of the Ninth of Av in Jerusalem,
                           within the walls of its home,
If we make love maybe the city will rise from its ashes.

In the morning, engulfed in sleep, we will breathe in
The smells of fasting ascending from the neighbors’ kitchens,
And slowly we will rise.
Clothed and perfumed we will search for an apartment
for me in the nearby, sweaty, streets,
Examine the state of the sinks
And study the payment schedule.
And when we find an apartment we will make sure
                          that it isn’t an eternal structure, that it can be altered,
Make sure to keep it ordinary, with crowded, cracked, tiles   
And a window overlooking the neighboring windows.

And if, when lamentations echo through the city walls once again,
Maybe in a year, our love is still vibrant,
We will wake up early and go looking for one apartment
With one bed
To overflow with love in the city of many peoples. 


ט\' באב התשס"ג, ירושלים

ט\' באב התשס"ג, ירושלים