Jerusalem,1961 Poem by Linda Hepner

Bring me back to laughter,
take me back to where our bones
were loose with laughing –
look! Jerusalem days we spent in packs,
the stone floor clattering with busy feet,
our sandals slapping as we entered, ran to shuttered rooms or
clanged the kettle
on the student stove.
Happily, we greeted one another, and when new
acquaintances arrived we watched for smiles;
sophisticates, we made our judgments,
teased a little, threw suggestions, then
when days were done we walked out talking
down the tiled steps, into the citrus courtyard,
out of the gate, between the narrow evening streets –
Road of the Prophets, Abyssinian Road,
towards wherever spirits took us, calling loudly,
quite impervious to older Arabs, Jews, Armenians,
cooking their private meals, children’s voices high behind the walls.

Heedless hilarity
infected us, our hearts raced,
and any word or sight would bring the laugh
tumbling out of our mouths, our lungs –
our bodies shook with hoots and gasps and laughter came
faster and faster, until our lives were symphonies of joy,
vast odes with one another and the universe,
bliss, irresponsibility - but I forgive
our loudness, non-respect, our brief vacation
in delinquency – forgive us for our stupid sins,
for that was then, a concert, O Jerusalem,
performed by us, and reheard now.

LRH
Los Angeles
4 Feb 2009