Take Me to the Sea

A collection of poems of the last decade, including translations from Hebrew and Spanish as well as poems written in English from award wining Israeli poet Mois Benarroch.

Between Lightning and Thunder

ªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªªª

Between lightning and thunder

by the time I see your light

there is already too much noise.

Here

""""""""""""

In these streets

the angel who walked before me

helped me walk

prevented me from falling

saved me

when I had a car accident

in the head

near the synagogue

on the head

of the year

here

in these streets

so empty from me

I cried for the first time

I smiled for the first time

and from here I traveled everywhere

now I came back

seeking understanding

from the houses, the streets, the sidewalks, the people.

If You See Me in the Street

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

and I don't say hello to you

don't think I don't want your company

or that I am trying to hurt you

if you see me in the street

and I am thinking another poem

other words

that may finally

describe the firmament line

that connects between my legs

and the town where I was born

a giant rainbow

if you see me in the street and I don't say

hello

it is not a declaration of war

but a look

into the future.

Sand

~~~~~

it took me twenty years to learn to cry in Hebrew

then my words became mild

as a stone whose secret has been revealed by the rain

that it was made of sand.

To Be an Ethnic Minority

@@@@@@@@@@@@@

When you speak about your past

they say you only speak

about the past

when you speak about other things

they don't listen

when you shout

they say you are a screamer

if you speak politely

they are impressed

if you cry

they say you are a weeper

if you object

they say you are a liar

if you laugh

they say you are a clown

If you criticize out

of concern for the future

they demand you mind your own business

whatever you do

you both come out

bald.

and you balder.

Declaration of Independence

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am a one man

country

in my country

I tolerate everything

my country is secular and religious

fundamentalist and liberal

I make elections whenever I want

and cross the frontier without any problem

I am not represented in the UN

so I don't cause trouble to anybody

in my country I am the prime minister

and the eternal immigrant