Hebron Tantrum/Don't Talk To Me
have you seen Hebron?
don't talk to me until you've seen it
don't talk to me
have you seen the children in caged windows?
have you seen bright blue doors welded and bolted
and permanently shuttered with
black spray painted stars of David?
have you seen our symbol become a symbol of oppression
have you seen our symbol of balance become a symbol of indifference
aggression
a symbol of fear
have you seen Hebron?
where there is no justice
carrying bodies on your body to get out of the house and city
dying for medical attention
not able to cross the street
not able to go out of the house
curfew curfew curfew means out of the house two to three hours
every other DAY
we have no idea
hello? we have no idea
how far
what has been done to the star
have you seen Hebron?
don't talk to me if you have not
baby faces in uniform my sons are older than you now
our sons and our daughters
ordered to act against conscience
how can we ask this of them?
light of the nations yes yes I still believe
my warrior spirit(King David lives in me)
I could be a settler
the land the community the belief we walked these lands lived and worshipped
taken me a long time to get it
we evolve our worship evolves
Shekhinah is forever
forwards backwards present all things all times
of course She changes and responds
but have you SEEN it? the blue doors with black stars
the expressionless faces the ghost streets the settler mural public art and public doctrine on a public street in HEBRON
the Israeli flag is orange
ghosts of martyrs past
ghosts of warriors and bloody massacres
ghosts of revenge
ghosts of children crying from the stones
the soldier with us could be my son
the street is quiet except for us
the children and old one watching from caged windowsills
the settler speaks vile things to us in Hebrew
his young wife tries to keep up in stride
but she can't yell so much
we are a non-violent group surrounded by several layers of security
she doesn't have it in her
have you seen Hebron?
the black stars the bolted doors the hopeless helpless eyes
have you seen Hebron?
don't talk to me,
don't talk to me
until you have the tears of Hebron running down your face
don't talk to me until you have the courage to go there
see for yourself
don't talk to me until you hear then decide how to be a warrior what to fight for what to stand for what to do and why
talk to me after you see
after you hear
when you look into the eyes of all our soldiers police
they are us
talk to me after you shed tears
talk to me after your shock
talk to me after
tell me we have come to this
our reasoning our power have come to this
at what cost security
at every cost
what to do in Hebron?
cry and weep and wail
walk the streets singing
bringing compassion back to Hebron
bringing life back to Hebron
release Rachel
gone to ground inside tall grey slabs
inhospitable a fortress with no finesse
a sacrilege
Rachel weeping Rachel weeping for her children
have you seen Hebron?
don't talk to me until you've seen
don't talk
you cannot know
you cannot imagine
you do not want to believe
