{ if I forget thee, Jerusalem. }

[delga]

I saw this on my fflist, and had to re-post it. I love it. I think I'm going to put it on my wall.

Sometimes the strangest things move me.

--

IF I FORGET THEE JERUSALEM.

If I forget thee, Jerusalem,
Then let my right be forgotten.
Let my right be forgotten, and my left remember.
Let my left remember, and your right close
And your mouth open near the gate.

I shall remember Jerusalem
And forget the forest - my love will remember,
Will open her hair, will close my window,
Will forget my right,
Will forget my left.

If the west wind does not come
I'll never forgive the walls,
Or the sea, or myself.
Should my right forget
My left shall forgive,
I shall forget all water,
I shall forget my mother.

If I forget thee, Jerusalem,
Let my blood be forgotten.
I shall touch your forehead,
Forget my own,
My voice change
For the second and last time
To the most terrible of voices -
Or silence.

by Yehuda Amichai.

Comments

[noorie.livejournal.com]

aww 'tis pretty. i was mentally translating to hebrew when reading (presumably that's the original?). i heart the psalm that inspired this, even the squicky parts that often get omitted.

disclaimer: meish fails at correspondence.

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the original is in Hebrew. I looked up the Psalm when I got this comment, and I like that, too. But I saw this and it grabbed my attention. The ways things are wont to do sometimes.

ALSO. I got your email! And I've half-replied. I'm just Very Bad at remembering to, you know, finish it. Ahem.

*hugs*

Re: disclaimer: meish fails at correspondence.

[noorie.livejournal.com]

aww, don't worry about replying hon, there's no rush. i'll put you on the list for the next one. i suck at keeping up myself, which is why i've devised this nefarious plan. haha.