Jerusalem is Beige at Noon, and at Sunset, Gold

Jerusalem is
beige at noon, and at
sunset, gold.

But for
mattresses laid out on
flat summer roofs
sheets,jeans and washrags flapping on
laundry lines
blue and white flags or
“HA'AM IM HAGOLAN” banners
hanging from open windows or
draping from balcony railings
_____________________(for whom?)
Jerusalem is
beige at noon, and at
sunset, gold.

But for
souvenirs heap'd up on sagging card tables or
hanging from walls in the tunnel like shuk-
_____________________Jewellry, and sandals,
_____________________narghilla and t-shirts
But for
wind tossed trash dancing
down three-o-clock-alleyways, &
cats who dart out from
cool parked car shade

But for the
long and slowly stretching
dark shadows of inevitability,
Jerusalem is
beige at noon, and at
sunset, gold.




_________________ha'am im hagolan - "the people are with the Golan"
_________________shuk- open air market place heavily frequented by tourists
_________________narghila- hookah