Wanted

Wanted, a quiet place to rest the soul.
Just for a few moments.
Wanted, a place to rest the feet.
Just for a few moments.
Wanted, a plant, leaf, stalk or shrub, that won’t
fold up when the soul arrives, just for a few moments.
Wanted, one phrase, clean, agreeable and warm to serve as a bench,
a refuge, for someone close to me, a dove-child, my own soul,
who left the ark this morning, for a few moments, in the early hours,
and couldn’t find a place to rest her feet.

Tsriffin Army Base, 1989

Translated by Lisa Katz with Shlomit Naim-Naor.