Life Songs | Shira Chai

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Let the wall climb…

Let the wall climb.
Let it rise.
Let it cling to the sky.

Let us keep them out,
keep us in,
them and us
us and them.

Let us divide kin from kin,
neighbor from neighbor
village from village.

Call it the wall of lament,
of wrath,
of greed.

Call it the senseless wall,
the aching wall,
the burning wall.

Make it a wall that can be seen through without being seen,
a wall that can be listened through without listening.

Make it a wall of ignorance that cannot be ignored.

—2011

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Now is the moment…

Now is the moment
             the moment before the dawn
             the moment that belongs to us.

The moment before
                                    the warm sunlight filters
                                    through shutter slats,
                                   spread wide like fingers.
 
The moment before pillars of smoke
                        before the reek of burning rubber, 
                        before the shriek of sirens.

The moment of intimacy,
The moment when your body spoons mine,
                       when your arms strengthen me,
                       when your hands cradle my breasts. 

The moment before the dawn
The moment of reverence,
                        of stillness.

Oh yes, my love 
                     this is our supreme moment.

—2018

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Shall give you amazing almond orchards…

Shall give you amazing almond orchards,
                                         in full bloom.
                                                   row after row,
                                                   tree after tree,
                                                   white on white.

Shall give you this and also my heart
                                                        blooming white.

Shall give you endless terrain,
                                           petals on petals,
                                           alluring 
                                           sweet fragrance
                                           wondrous
                                           almond blossoms.

Shall give you this and also my heart
                                                       surrendering white.
                                          
A distant billow of smoke, 
the crackle of gunfire,

Shall give you,
                        my hand
                        as we wander between trees  
                                                  between almond blossoms
                                                  between confidential kisses.

—2018

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©2022 Shira Chai
All rights reserved

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