so what conflict separates?
what conflict separates those nested at the Holy Walls?
what conflict separates those nested at the Holy Walls?
The Great Coca Cola Machine?
The Great Coca Cola Machine?
nah, the fellaheen only yawn
nah, the fellaheen only yawn
or aesthetically eye
or aesthetically eye
consider passing beautiful women in shawls…
consider passing beautiful women in shawls…
so what conflict separates?
so what conflict separates?
bicycles adorn Mahane Yehuda marketplace alleyways
bicycles adorn Mahane Yehuda marketplace alleyways
straw hatted wanderers stroll the iridescent labyrinths,
straw hatted wanderers stroll the iridescent labyrinths,
some pushing grinning babies
some pushing grinning babies
some leashing two or three well-fed retrievers or German Shepherds,
some leashing two or three well-fed retrievers or German Shepherds,
wanderers clad in frayed leather sandals
wanderers clad in frayed leather sandals
haggling over Shabbos candles
haggling over Shabbos candles
green malachite prayer beads,
green malachite prayer beads,
rushing past Hassidic tefillin sellers
rushing past Hassidic tefillin sellers
pomegranate mango juice stalls,
pomegranate mango juice stalls,
and at long last mount ancient dolomitic stone steps
and at long last mount ancient dolomitic stone steps
reeking from centuries of civilization’s footsteps,
reeking from centuries of civilization’s footsteps,
still glistening from the sweat
still glistening from the sweat
the tears of humanity…
the tears of humanity…
then what conflict separates?
then what conflict separates?
here in the Shuk HaCarmel
here in the Shuk HaCarmel
while Erev Shabbat dawns another miracle,
while Erev Shabbat dawns another miracle,
the holy month of Ramadan inches on,
the holy month of Ramadan inches on,
red onions, hummus with olive oil, chicken for soup
red onions, hummus with olive oil, chicken for soup
alus sikkeen watermelons…
alus sikkeen watermelons…
bubbies teaching granddaughters brust recipes
bubbies teaching granddaughters brust recipes
old men in kippahs and taqiyahs sipping tea through sugar cubes
old men in kippahs and taqiyahs sipping tea through sugar cubes
Russian and Armenian monastics hurrying along
Russian and Armenian monastics hurrying along
trailing black and red robes,
trailing black and red robes,
a few nodding toward
a few nodding toward
the rest ignoring
the rest ignoring
hopeful children
hopeful children
busy knitting modest sweaters in used bookstores…
busy knitting modest sweaters in used bookstores…
well, what conflict separates?
well, what conflict separates?
these are the Palestinians:
these are the Palestinians:
Jew, Christian, and Muslim
Jew, Christian, and Muslim
who light a cigarette whenever they want to touch someone…
who light a cigarette whenever they want to touch someone…
and smoke constantly,
and smoke constantly,
while mastering the delicate art of civilization
while mastering the delicate art of civilization
through decades dreaming of sunflower fields forever
through decades dreaming of sunflower fields forever
as millenniums slip into further sunrise raga masterpieces,
as millenniums slip into further sunrise raga masterpieces,
King David King Solomon
King David King Solomon
mantra inducing miracle workers,
mantra inducing miracle workers,
these Palestinians praying to,
these Palestinians praying to,
no, beseeching Adonai to grant peace,
no, beseeching Adonai to grant peace,
these destitute chanting refugees
these destitute chanting refugees
once adrift
once adrift
now blend throughout earth’s wide four corners
now blend throughout earth’s wide four corners
the four directions of the wind,
the four directions of the wind,
and now gather here
and now gather here
attracted to the one Light
attracted to the one Light
clueless fireflies intrigued by Breath’s endless possibilities,
clueless fireflies intrigued by Breath’s endless possibilities,
L’Chaim!
L’Chaim!
we are all solitary brief candles illuminating
we are all solitary brief candles illuminating
racing past life’s gorgeously harrowing conflicts
racing past life’s gorgeously harrowing conflicts
subhanallah…!
subhanallah…!
this breakfast honey-soaked tea tastes delicious!
this breakfast honey-soaked tea tastes delicious!
so now tell me what conflict separates those nested at these Holy Walls?
so now tell me what conflict separates those nested at these Holy Walls?
5/23/2018
5/23/2018