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Poem

Israel Bar Kohav

TERM OF OFFICE

For 15 years I served as a child until removed from my post
in this kingdom where the land was once worthy of trust
and trees glittered in the rain. 
Now the almond grove is dry, the bread fish have turned brown,
the tented sky collapses on Mount Leviathan, and love,
once on the tip of my tongue, sticks to the roof of my mouth.
        
 

כהונה

כהונה

 חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנִים כִּהַנְתִּי כְּיֶלֶד וְהֻדַּחְתִּי,
בַּמַּלְכוּת הַהִיא, הָאָרֶץ עָמְדָה עַל כַּנָּהּ
עֵצִים זָרְחוּ בַּגֶּשֶׁם,
עַכְשָׁו יָבַשׁ מַטֵּה הַשָּׁקֵד, דַּג הַלֶּחֶם הִשְׁחִים,
אֹהֶל הַשָּׁמַיִם קָרַס עַל הַר לִוְיָתָן, אַהֲבָה
שֶׁעָמְדָה עַל קְצֵה לְשׁוֹנִי, דָּבְקָה לְחִכִּי.
 
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TERM OF OFFICE

For 15 years I served as a child until removed from my post
in this kingdom where the land was once worthy of trust
and trees glittered in the rain. 
Now the almond grove is dry, the bread fish have turned brown,
the tented sky collapses on Mount Leviathan, and love,
once on the tip of my tongue, sticks to the roof of my mouth.
        
 

TERM OF OFFICE

For 15 years I served as a child until removed from my post
in this kingdom where the land was once worthy of trust
and trees glittered in the rain. 
Now the almond grove is dry, the bread fish have turned brown,
the tented sky collapses on Mount Leviathan, and love,
once on the tip of my tongue, sticks to the roof of my mouth.
        
 
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère