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The Sulha* Pomegranate Wait; please do not open Sulha's Pomegranate yet First tell me why doesn't the world know That you too and a million other Jews Of Arab Lands like you, Had to spread their wings wide Just like us on the Palestinian side - And flee with the wind and nothing, too?
"Ele fat mat!" - What is past is dead! Those dark, ancient times have fled, Why is it important to you?
Shall we open the pomegranate?
Not yet, not yet, my friend. For me it is the beautiful saving face of Sulha* - Shining her enchanting, honorable smile at me, The unveiling of her black veil Revealing a double truth and double justice, She wisely shows we are not the only underdogs, That tragedy, as in all wars, is always on both sides.
Welcome Sulha! So, let's open the Pomegranate? Wait my friend, not yet, not yet.
It is so much easier to pave the peace path Arm in arm with hopeful Sulha - Two tragedies do not cancel each other - But it somehow makes it easier When we know the other side met Sulha's terms a long time ago.
Wait, don't open the juicy pomegranate yet! Now that you have given me the gift of your story My brother and mutual victim too And revealed to me your heritage Under your veiling membranes, I can identify with you in every ruby grain And you can identify with me - For we are in reality, On the same side of the present and of history.
Now, finally, we can open Sulha's Pomegranate And fully taste together her plentiful reconciliation treasures, Her scarlet healing juices
And
her marvelous, velvety ruby grains.
*** Ada Aharoni Ada Aharoni is an Israeli poet, writer and professor. Ada was born in Cairo, lives in Haifa, and is president of IFLAC: PAVE PEACE, the International Forum for Literature and Culture of Peace. She writes in Hebrew and English, and her works have been translated into Arabic. |
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