Israel@60: A poem: We Stand
May 7, 2008Yom Ha’Atzmaut Observed at Kfar Blum, Upper Galilee
We all stood –
At first casually in a circle,
And then the siren sounded
And we all stood at attention.
The Young children stood and did not fidget.
The youth stood positioned to lower the
flag to half staff.
The young parents stood.
The army-expectant parents stood with
a touch of apprehension.
The memorial participants stood.
Even the memory-worn elderly stood.
The kibbutz visitors stood.
Even the wreaths of flowers stood perched
against the bereavement stones.
The scrambling dog stood as did the kibbutz
pet kitten.
We stood together in a tearful orb of memory
We all stood — except the fallen heroes
of Israel
So that we may stand today
- by Barbara Rosenberg
