I Dreamt and Dreamt About You… Homage to my Beloved Israel By Violeta Esquinazi

I believe that I wrote the verses of this poem in my psyche decades ago, as my soul yearned to meet Israel face-to-face. My yearning came to fruition in April 2016 when I landed in Israel and finally got to know her in person, day in and day out, not as a tourist, but as her family tenant. Israel looks as beautiful in the spring, as she does in the winter, when the summer heat remains an illusion turned into packed coffee houses and fall sunsets. My current relationship with Israel is close and intimate, at times conflictive, but unconditionally loyal, inspiring and spiritually uplifting.

Violeta

 

I Dreamt and Dreamt About You…

A Homage to my Beloved Israel

by Violeta Esquinazi

 

Born far away

Years after you became

Your name played music

In my lips un-kissed

The taste of milk and honey

 

Chanting your hymn by heart

In occasions joyous and sad

I stood before your wavering flag

Loving you blindly

Your spirit enamoured my heart

 

Tales twirled, snapshots danced

In my fresh and fertile mind

I sat you on a pedestal

Blowing wind above clouds

Aroma of freedom, courage and hope

 

In the hora I held hands of hope

The tunes swept my feet

Like feathers of doves in flight

The voice, lyrics and notes

Pierced my soul from within

 

I dreamt and dreamt about you…

The time came to be with you

Today I am here

This miracle, I cannot believe!

 

The dream fell short of real

Today I know you with my eyes

Your sky is bluer than sapphires

Your land is hot, red and fertile

Pigmented with life, love and fire

 

You breathe ocean breeze

Desert dust, honey bush

Scents of spring, ancient and fresh

Your sun blinds the eye

Igniting all that is holy and divine

 

Only you turn deserts into orchards

Your soil blossoms crops of sorts

Your trees bear fruits, nectars of delight

Dates melt in my mouth, pomegranates so red

Nourishment and succulence in my mouth

 

I hear your voice in children’s play

In street greetings, blessings and cheers

From young and old, far and near

In your coveted soil

All live with honour and pride

 

I dreamt and dreamt about you…

The time came to be with you

Today I am here

This miracle, I cannot believe!

 

Your gates are open to all your kind

You are first to come, to rescue and heal

The bereaved, weak, lost or fragile

In your compassion, kindness and justice

You Shine a Light to Humankind

 

You amaze the world

You are big, not small

You shine a light of hope and shalom

To all nations, far away lands

To friends, supporters and even foes

 

The many enemies you face

With strength you endure

With faith you believe

Your unfathomable knowledge and will

Beats the sword, the stone, the missile

 

You are primal and you are novel

You are wise and you are bold

In all seasons you thrive

You’re blue, white, gold and true

You ignite the soul of every Jew
I dreamt and dreamt about you…

The time came to be with you

Today I am here

This miracle, I cannot believe!

 

As my days with you increase

The honeymoon, the dream all gone

My senses find delight in real time

My love matures, you are not perfect, just true

As a mother and her child, I love you as you are

 

You stand strong when others shout

You counter life and peace under attack

Your past is an anchor, you know who you are

The horrors gone from the body, not the mind

Never again will you bow, submit or renounce

 

It is no wonder that in your land

I find refuge, shelter, enjoyment and pride

I can be who I am, my head I hold high

In this Our Holy Land

I acknowledge Our Creator, the Divine

 

I pray that thy soil be safe

Thy inhabitants know brotherhood and peace

You, Beacon of Light and Hope

If there is one thing I know

You will always BE under Divine Decree

 

Your flag will wave the world SHALOM!

 

The end.

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