Yehuda Amichai

This is a sad but very well written poem about a hebrew man who is fighting in a war. He doesn't care about whether he lives or dies anymore, but there's one thing he still wants: to take his final breath in his bed. I found this while working on a project for PATH, and it's really, really, good. And sorta heartbreaking, but mostly really good.

I Want to Die in My Own Bed
By Yehuda Amichai

All night the army came up from Gilgal
To get to the killing field, and that's all.
In the ground, warf and woof, lay the dead.
I want to die in My own bed.

Like slits in a tank, their eyes were uncanny,
I'm always the few and they are the many.
I must answer. They can interrogate My head.
But I want to die in My own bed.

The sun stood still in Gibeon. Forever so, it's willing
to illuminate those waging battle and killing.
I may not see My wife when her blood is shed,
But I want to die in My own bed.

Samson, his strength in his long black hair,
My hair they sheared when they made me a hero
Perforce, and taught me to charge ahead.
I want to die in My own bed.

I saw you could live and furnish with grace
Even a lion's den, if you've no other place.
I don't even mind to die alone, to be dead,
But I want to die in My own bed.



Translated from the Hebrew by Barbara and Benjamin Harshav, in A Life of Poetry: 1948 - 1994, New York, HarperCollins, 1994, with thanks to the publisher


By the way, I thought I would mention that this is post 89. I was surprised I had so many posts; I always feel so guilty about not posting I had assumed I was at 50 something.  
Given that this is my BLOG as well as where I put all that writing that it would be a shame to just get a grade slapped on it and leave it to rot, I think some note on my life is in order. I just auditioned for the school play with my friend Courtney (yes, the same Courtney who adopted the penguin at the bottom of the page), and I think we did well! So, congratulations to myself!!!