Vox Humana Literary Journal

And Again the Juniper Whitens

To the memory of Natan Yonatan

The shore is always a landscape of longing
for the seasonable Hadera creek of days gone by.
And in the grove of eucalyptus, the shady giants,
among the warm winter dunes, the cormorants
find overnight refuge in the parking lot of a nature reserve.
The flowering juniper whitens and honeys
the air with the bitter sweetness of memories:
As if yet again a young heart is pierced there,
as if yet again those barrages are fired.
And in the heart of whiteness patches of poppies splatter
reddening: on the coastal road, on that
distant Saturday afternoon. But the eyes
of the poet have seen it all, and written it too.
Like a printed memory, like photographs
transferred to paper, and engraved on the heart.

translated from the Hebrew by Cindy Eisner

Last Time

As if I sensed it, as if you clearly knew,
That this our final encounter it was
lying joined me to you. You were generous,
And when your pupils had dilated, I saw
A radiant moisture. We were
Subdued and we took our time. You
Dressed and I retrieved
A hair clip that had fallen. And when I returned
From the mountain, I recalled the strange
Words, that burst from you, in a whisper,
Quite unexpectedly, in the throes of desire.

Translated from the Hebrew by Cindy Eisner

Childish Valor

A slender switch in my hand
I set out for the field:
To decapitate the
thornbushes: flowering oyster thistles
and prickly milk thistles, delicate of
down. Oh, the intoxicating
power of a dreaming
child. With an imaginary sword
I strike about me;
The summer globe thistles, globeless
Now, and the pinkish
Horse thistles. The upraised switch
Whistles, and with sharp thrusts
Heads are severed. And only
The path, blood soaked,
Along which has passed the staff
Of my strength and valor, only
It remains behind me.

Suddenly green and tempting me
back: crowned in valor,
sated by glory, an ear
deafened by fanfare, come
cruel wild child,
and join bath
time at the children’s house.

Translated from the Hebrew by Cindy Eisner