Poem: Talking Jerusalem

Yes, I hear talk
as I walk the Old City
from Jaffa Gate
to Damascus Gate
from Herod’s Gate
to the Lions’ Gate
from Zion Gate
to the Dung Gate
I hear talk about dividing
Jerusalem from Jerusalem
they’re at it again
dividing again
dividing the heart
dividing the brain
dividing the divided
the talk goes on

the heart says no
the head says yes
the head says no
the heart says yes

it’s an old song
that won’t go away
the talk goes on
the fate of the Old City
like the shofar’s cry
and the muezzin’s call
left hanging
in the air

David Gershator was born on Mount Carmel in Israel and now lives in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities literature grant and a New York State CAPS poetry award; his work has appeared in numerous anthologies and journals. For info about his poetry, publications and artwork, visit davidgershator.com.