So Kim mentioned in her commentbox on my latest post that she would never in a million years have believed that I could draw a connection between our road trip to Mary's home and an Israeli song (and the Eurovision no less!).
I know! I know! Mr. Commentbox can often be found staring at me and shaking his head in wonder as I describe my thought processes.
Of course, now I have to post about what song I was humming on my way back from visiting YOU, dear Kim. Also Israeli, and I think the composer and singer (Achinoam Nini) did sing in a Eurovision or too. Here is her song "Uri," the lyrics are a poem by the great Rachel Bluwstein, a wondrous poet whose book was sent to me by my grandfather among the many boxes of his library.
In our crazy world, full of the rushing rushing rushing, it often helps me to ground myself in such poetry and music. Seeing you with your beautiful boys I couldn't help but feel Rachel smiling from far away, so very happy for you.
I am also attaching a rough translation I found of the poem, which is far more beautiful in its original Hebrew, of course.
BARREN
If only I had a son, a little child, bright, with black curls,
To hold his hand and to walk slowly,
Down the paths of the garden,
A child.
A little one.
I would call him Uri, my Uri,
The short name is soft and pure,
A fragment of brightness,
I'll call out to my dark little boy,
"Uri."
I will yet become as bitter as the mother Rachel.
I will still pray like Hannah at Shilo.
I will yet long
For him.
By the way...and you'll LOVE this...as I was listening to this song just now my son (working on the computer next to me) turned to me and said "Could you please make it lower? What IS that song???!!! Ugh..."
9 comments:
I remember "Abanibi" from the eurovision songcontest! What was I, 14? But me and my grandma preferred "Hallelujah" from Israel a few years earlier ( I believe). I was a very old child.
Anna! Yes! "Hallelujah"!!! We sang that in our school choir for YEARS after it won that Eurovision. I love the idea of you and your grandma watching it too.
So pretty! Will said the same time as your son when he heard the Eurovision song this morning. It was funny.
But as I pointed out, James ate all of his breakfast because he was so enamored with the singers and the video, so no commenting allowed on my morning videos!
Is this the Hallelujah you guys are talking about? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33kO3fvjkI
I do love youtube.
Julia - Yep, that's the one. I had the biggest crush on the guy on the right.
It's hysterical to think of you playing these videos on the other side of the world...over breakfast.
It is awfully cool. Just imagine, I have never seen a single Eurovision, and I have lived in Europe for ten years! This is opening up SO much new Czech culture to delve into ;-).
Dear Eleanor,
I've just found your blog and wanted to tell you how much I loved "Barren." Oh, I'll try to keep this short! But I wanted to tell you how wonderfully universal the poem is--
My husband and I adopted a little boy one year ago. He is black--bright with dark curls--and we are white. We longed for a child for many years and held onto the stories of Hannah and Rachel and found comfort there. Stephen is the answer to our prayers, and is--oh, he's just wonderful!
I had been wanting to make a little book of pictures and poetry for him, and I definitely want to include this poem in the book. Oh, so beautiful!
Thanks for sharing the poem.
I love, that on leaving my place, after seeing me, the most fertile and careless woman I know, after exiting the home of four boys and a house often full of five small cousins, you hum a song to yourself entitled BARREN.
FECKING HILARIOUS.
Yes, it's 1am. I should be asleep, but can't for some reason.
Oh Julie, I am so happy to be able to share this poem with you. The book you are putting together sounds magical.
Thank you for leaving your comment, it has brightened up my day. This commentbox contains a snuggly cuddle for Stephen all the way from Sydney, Australiaxxxx
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