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The
wall
No
one could pass by
get to school and work
or reach gardens people and markets
blocks
to prevent attacks
tracks and roads cut off
fences barb-wired
in
the place of wild bushes
loaded with dust and berries
and of showy prickly pears
by
big blaring bulldozers
villages and houses split
the very heart of rooms scarred
a
wall of dumb cement
did cage into cells the history
of a wise and wounded country
controls
with nervous machine-guns
suspicious queues waiting
fear of suicide bombs
the
moon had been missing for days
nor did it shed its silver light
on moaning olive palms
it
seemed to have taken offence
at outrageous marks on the hills
on the sites of old prayers
a
signal to the oppressed people
in the dark appeared from on high
a comet for all creeds
and
pointed to one grotto of many
a new-born child placidly whimpering
lay on straw and debris
and
like a sudden command
breaches and barriers opened up
every man drew round unarmed
amazed
beside the baby
tongues in a single song
lit the night up with hope.
translated
by Rodolfo Longo |
