"the house" - A Long Poem
"the house" - A Long Poem
Issue:
Translator’s Note: Avot Yeshurun’s (1904–92) “ha-bayeet” (the house) is a textured polyglot long-poem that moves between multiple idiolectal slangs and inflections across Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic, and Aramaic registers, in a haunting chronicle of Zionist urban renewal. Yeshurun’s poetic thinking enacts an ongoing translational event in this work, perpetually in the midst of code-switching as a mode of sociolinguistic and aesthetic rupture. “home tongue / earthquake,” he writes, in the final section of the poem, “sometimes the voice / it’s a / garbage can / & sometimes a / delicate presence.” Language acquisition for Yeshurun, like urban renewal, is somewhere halfway between production and destruction—between the newly built and the already (or soon to be) demolished. The translingual poetics of “ha-bayeet” serves, in these terms, as a (po)ethical imperative to give voice to this destruction, as “an instance of the re- / novated house, that’s still / in mourning holes.”
The Hebrew text is published here by courtesy of Helit Yeshurun and Hakibbutz Hame’uchad-Sifriat Poalim Publishing House, Israel.
berdichevsky house[1]
berdichevsky house
four.
four
floors.
they’re coming to renovate.
first off
comes a bulldozer
& smashes
the cornice. that’s
the first thing.
they who removed
the cornice, who pulled-off
the facade
of the house, the builders
attached—as a model
of what had been—
the front
door,
there dvoyrele[2]
is seen who hated
the neighbors
“including you”
& her mother whose husband
divorced & wandered
to the ends of America
to become a cantor.
all this
spilled out w/
the mortar & plaster
& the soot into piles
of rubble from the skeleton
house number
four. & the house
remains like a skeleton
of bones, w/out
internal organs.
house w/
gaps that were
once doors.
holes that were
once windows.
the house looks
like a guy w/
long legs
white in underpants.
enjoying the breeze
bare from all
sides supported.
heats & materials
the human sounds
quieter
than the material sounds.
the people pace
bent like walking
on all fours
on the roof
inspecting & groping
in ancient prejudice.
& the material sounds,
in hammer & gravel
a free hand.
when the air is thin
or a blind one
passes. & when thick—
a ribbon of horns.
the shadow that hid
in the cavities of the house
began to look out
from the house to the street.
the human sounds
heartwarming.
the material sounds—
their knowledge tamed.
came took
gravel—& threw away
came took
binder—& threw away.
ran bringing
mortar—& poured out.
ran bringing
sand—& poured out.
came bringing
water—& poured out.
the cylinder poured out
a bucket of mixture
one above
one below.
raised up above
threw away below.
filled up above
threw away below.
the workers divided
in equal portions
the mixture
on the roof
w/ no shortchanging.
& smoothed-it-out.
the crows in morning
bringing food
from source to source
to the hatchlings.
this one fills
& this one lifts.
this one fills
& this one lifts.
one raises up,
one throws away.
one raises up,
one throws away.
bit by bit
the house is flipped
a factory
in & of itself.
no need
for the street’s mercy.
its walls scabbed
silicate brick.
skeletal sounds
till now
the skeletal sounds
bare nude
as before
the start to archeology.
but they raged
cement-mixer mechanisms
w/ the cylinder,
& cast
the roof, & cast
the shadow
to the walls of
the house. beams
& stakes. flat
staves. after
they cast the
roof, they cast
today
the skies’ names
of the roof.
today were heard
carpenter hammers’
sounds & blacksmith
hammers’ sounds
blacksmith
detonator
blacksmith
detonator
sound
on
sound
growling
sound
on
sound
landing
to land
a blow
on
this.
this
on
this.
silence of
miracles & wonders.
people on
the roof pace
as shadows. as sounds.
hammer dents
in a verse of
two hard
words & three
short ones. dialogue
of the hammer & the material.
outstretched like a woman
in expectation.
today they banged
w/ carpenter hammers
smooth & vulnerable
w/ secret blows
as on planed
staves in a planer.
not nails
in a big head
& not nails
in a small head,
one beside
the other click-clack.
today begins
forming silence
of the rooms w/
each pleasure
of first brick
begins the veiling
it kept to itself
each room
isolated it
-self from the noise.
but the house
demanded of itself.
blacksmiths banged—
& saw it was
good. carpenters
banged—& saw
it was good.
every thing
& saw it was
very good.
but the house
demanded of itself.
rose from roof
twd roof,
from wood twd
wood. resurrection
of the road w/
the construction process.
the roof at night
the roof at night
looks like a boidem[3]
or cabin
in the vineyards in 1932
like in bayt-dajan[4]
in ayun-kara[5] in cloudy
skies, just
to dream by them.
clouds to drift-off
by them. to seek
my soul’s
love in the vineyard.[6]
the floor
cast floor
wanted to return,
pushed back.
no need.
banged the slant—
sideways. banged
the supports—sideways.
banged the posts.
when they had
a task, there was
grace, & when not
none. now
one heap
resembles one.
each one,
technical & spiritual.
took uniforms
& went home.
took language,
& voiced sound.
plank floor
brought closer to the edge.
bent back.
wanted to return.
once & twice
wanted to return.
banged outside:
no need.
the wood expelled.
no trees,
& not animals.
but foundations.[7]
acoustics
was perfect.
the acoustics of
berdichevsky street—
like heichal ha-tarbut.[8]
sirens—we hear.
what in the house
between man
& wife—we hear.
what people
buy at the store—
we hear
on the street.
the house demanded
of itself all
the beams, all
the supports
from the wood below
to the wood above,
bent as a
man bears
a surface of planks
on which they cast
an upper roof.
bent to erect
to pull back
once inside
once ahead
once in midst.
straight ahead
erected back.
to support the gravel
roof—how?
as beams supporting
a curve of sky
so too at a slant
in the universe supports.
as a horse standing
on hind legs
as hands in a tallis
during priestly prayer.[9]
as a horse stops
insisting on its front
& w/ hind legs
pushing fwd.
bound in grief
all the beams
& supports & plank
floors were bound
& packed & thrown.
like in the vineyards
in 1932, at the end
of harvest, the guards
took a man
’s parcel & he went
home on paths
length- & width-wise[10]
between vineyards,
between shrubs,
of grape clusters
the guards went & returned
the franks[11]
to their houses in rishon
l’tzion[12] w/ one
room & one
bed & frankenia.[13]
all the beams,
all the supports
were packed in a rope
& thrown below.
even w/out
apprehending that one
of them wd evade
returning to the prior
status. discarded
one by one,
voiced in protest.
rose in upheaval.
no help
whatsoever.
no voice
& no answer.
in a moment
a car disappeared
w/ beams
& supports.
the workers sat
to eat. looked like
a day of celebration[14]
for them. their hats
one moment cluster
together one to the other.
drank water
from bottle & corked.
they lowered
the bell’s a hammer
& the house a crystal.
the house rings
& the hammer performs.
the hammer’s a chatterbox
& house drowned-out.
they’ve already lowered
the crane.
the wall dweller
finished placing
a line till
windowsill
settled on
the wall as one sits
on the pot.
this is the beginning of
man in the house.
man in a renovated
house. began
the man to live
in the house.
bit by bit
the house put on
white bricks
like a white nightshirt
as a woman stretching
to uncover a head
of circuit ends
to the consumption of flesh.
he who is merciful cannot give mercy
tonight we see
quadrangle rhythm:
hand head
hand foot.
like the wall
of the catholic
church in krasnystaw[15]
from the XVII century.
all this
an instance of the re-
novated house, that’s still
in mourning holes:
uncovered in the uppers
covered in the lowers
from krasnystaw
till here.
krasnystaw house
in tel aviv
i loved houses
till they were destroyed
& built anew.
i’m sorry they’re destroyed
the old i’ve forgotten.
if i forget thee
krasnystaw house.
the landlords
lawyers
renovated the house.
they’re the landlords[16]
& who opposes them?
the neighbor fears
the lawyers.
they removed the fence
to half the sidewalk.
public domain!
theft of community!
the law of the land
is the law.[17]of of disturbers’
it’s law—justice?
the neighbor fears
re-moving back.
to start-up w/ them.
a pensioner’s fear
of lawyers.
retiree & bald
worthless asshole.
the law uprooted?
there’s a law
wd uproot a tree.
if uprooted
the law’s tree
or a tree
the law
it wd uproot,
so to say.
there’s verdict
of uprooting trees.
if verdict
wd uproot the
tree, or
the tree wd uproot
the verdict,
so to say.
stands a tree
in mid-sidewalk.
wd it uproot the verdict,
so to say?
today heard
today heard
a bird
pecking a branch
to find a worm.
braver
than water
swifter
than time.
no past
no present
no future
there’s time.
tune this
into yr heart.
go home
& rest & don’t
talk anymore
of abundant blessings.
& ask
yair hurvitz.[18]
it’s the house
the house dressed itself
white from legs
& body’s beginning
till the chin.
i started w/ this
that a woman stretching
a nightshirt from the head
at the body’s end.
now the nightshirt
till the chin.
b/c the house
it’s a woman.
sliced from the stairs & w/ all the stairs
one day a door sliced the second-story
& the whole sand-loam-concrete floor rose & shifted & moved
& spilled & fled & was thrown from the stairs & w/ the stairs.
the room on the second-story remained lit in the sun as before in wood’s supports naked
as before.
from whence was this taken?
from where does it derive?
what’s it called?
what’s it say?[19]
however much
however much
i do not
pass on
the house it’s
still wrecked
as dvoyrele’s image
in holes & in the door
& the hole in the cement-mixer.
the house resembles
a box made of matches
that we hear only
open & close.
the house is quiet.
casting solidifies.
everything dries.
the cement-mixer w/
a frail circumcised
organ erects
wretched w/
a hole in the belly.
the house at the time
of its building appears
all the time
increasingly destroyed.
each patch
they add to it—
an accent of debris.
how wrecked!
4th of Sivan 5749 to 4th of Tishrei Tashan, June 7 to October 2, 1989
home tongue
home tongue
earthquake.
sometimes the voice
it’s a
garbage can
& sometimes a
delicate presence.
return from life.
from hot prayer
return twd
the simple things
more ordinary:
the house looks out
still eye-holed
from dvoyrele’s
door spilt
earth floor
outside & the doors
sway in agony
open as extended
hands. in the book
hid a prayer
to god that disclosed
to them the ancients.
the ancients thought
-up god to them
to give
order to what.
22nd of Tevet Tashan, January 19, 1990
הַבַּיִת
בֶּרְדִּיצֶ'בְסְקִי בַּיִת
בַּיִת בֶּרְדִּיצֶ'בְסְקִי
אַרְבַּע.
אַרְבַּע
קֹמֹת.
בָּאִים לְשַׁפֵּץ.
קֹדֶם כֹּל
בָּא בֻּלְדֹזֶר
וְנָתַץ אֶת
הַכַּרְכֹּב. זֶה
דָּבָר רִאשֹׁן.
מִשֶּׁהֹרִידֻ אֶת
הַכַּרְכֹּב, מִשֶּׁעָקְרֻ
אֶת חֲזִית
הַבַּיִת, הִצְמִידֻ
הַמְשַׁפְּצִים – כְּדֻגְמָא
לְמַה שֶּׁהָיָה –
אֶת דֶּלֶת
הַכְּנִיסָה,
שָׁם דְּבֹיְרֶ'לֶה
נִרְאֵית שֶׁשָּׂנְאָה
אֶת הַשְּׁכֵנִים,
"כֹּלֵל אַתָּה",
וְאִמָּהּ שֶׁבַּעְלָהּ
הִתְגָּרֵשׁ וְנָדַד
לְמֶרְחַקֵּי אֲמֵרִיקָה
לִהְיֹת חַזָּן.
כָּל זֶה
נִשְׁפַּךְ עִם
הַטִּיט וְהַטִּיחַ
וְהַפִּיחַ לְעִיֵּי
הַחֲרָבַת שֶׁלֶד
הַבַּיִת מִסְפַּר
אַרְבַּע. וְהַבַּיִת
נִשְׁאַר כְּשֶׁלֶד
עֲצָמֹת, בְּלִי
אֵיבְרֵי עִכֻּל.
בַּיִת עִם
רְוָחִים שֶׁהָיֻ
פַּעַם דְּלָתֹת.
חֹרִים שֶׁהָיֻ
פַּעַם חַלֹּנֹת.
הַבַּיִת נִרְאֶה
כְּגֶבֶר עִם
רַגְלַיִם אֲרֻכֹּת,
לְבָנֹת בְּתַחְתֹּנִים.
נֶהֱנֶה מֵאֲוִיר
צַח מִכָּל
צַד נִתְמָךְ.
חַמִּים וְחָמְרִיִּים
הַקֹּלֹת הָאֱנֹשִיִּים
יֹתֵר שְׁקֵטִים
מֵהַקֹּלֹת הַחָמְרִיִּים.
הָאֲנָשִׁים מִתְהַלְּכִים
כְּפֻפִים כְּהֹלְכֵי
עַל אַרְבַּע
עַל הַגָּג
בֹּדְקִים וּמְמַשְׁמְשִׁים
בְּדֵעָה קְדֻמָה.
וְהַקֹּלֹת הַחָמְרִיִּים,
בְּפַטִּישׁ וּבְחָצָץ,
יָד חָפְשִׁית.
כְּשֶׁהָאֲוִיר דָּלִיל
אוֹ עִוֵּר
עֹבֵר. וּכְשֶׁעָבֶה –
סֶרֶט קַרְנַיִם.
הַצֵּל שֶׁהִסְתַּגֵּר
בְּהֶחְלֵל הַבַּיִת,
הִתְחִיל לְהִסְתַּכֵּל
מֵהַבַּיִת לָרְחֹב.
הַקֹּלֹת הָאֱנֹשִיִּים
מַחְמְלֵי לֵב.
הַקֹּלֹת הַחָמְרִיִּים –
דַּעְתָּם מִתְבַּיֶּתֶת.
בָּא לָקַח
חָצָץ – וְזָרַק
בָּא לָקַח
זִיפְזִיף – וְזָרַק.
רָץ מֵבִיא
מֶלֶט – וְשָׁפַךְ.
רָץ מֵבִיא
חֹל – וְשָׁפַךְ.
בָּא מֵבִיא
מַיִם – וְשָׁפַךְ.
הַצִּילִינְדֶּר שָׁפַךְ
דְּלִי תַּעֲרֹבֶת
אֶחָד לְמַעְלָה
אֶחָד לְמַטָּה.
הֵרִים לְמַעְלָה
זָרַק לְמַטָּה.
מִלֵּא לְמַעְלָה
זָרַק לְמַטָּה.
הַפֹּעֲלִים חִלְּקֻ
שָׁוֶה בְּשָׁוֶה
אֶת הַתַּעֲרֹבֶת
עַל הַגָּג
וְלֹא קִפְּחֻ.
וְיִשְּׁרֻ הַכֹּל.
הָעֹרְבִים בַּבֹּקֶר
מְבִיאִים מָזֹן
מִמַּקֹּר לְמַקֹּר
לִבְנֵי עֹרֵב.
זֶה מְמַלֵּא
וְזֶה מֵנִיף.
זֶה מְמַלֵּא
וְזֶה מֵנִיף.
אֶחָד מֵרִים,
אֶחָד זֹרֵק.
אֶחָד מֵרִים,
אֶחָד זֹרֵק.
לְאַט לְאַט
הֹפֵךְ הַבַּיִת
בֵּית חֲרֹשֶת
שֶׁל עַצְמוֹ.
לֹא זָקֻק
לְרַחֲמֵי הָרְחֹב.
קִירֹתָיו הִגְלִידֻ
לִבְנֵי סִילִיקַט.
שִׁלְדֵי קֹלֹת
עַד עַכְשָׁו
שִׁלְדֵי הַקֹּלֹת
חֲשֻׂפִים עֲרֻמִּים
כְּאִלֻּ לִפְנֵי
הַכְנָסָה לְאַרְכֵאֹלֹגְיָה.
אֲבָל סָעֲרֻ
מְכֹנֹת הַמְעַרְבֵּל
עִם הַצִּילִינְדֶּר,
וְיָצְקֻ אֶת
הַגָּג, וְיָצְקֻ
אֶת הַצֵּל
לְקִירֹתָיו שֶׁל
הַבַּיִת. תְּמֹכֹת
וּסְמֹכֹת. מִשְׁטַח
קְרָשִׁים. אַחַר
שֶׁיָּצְקֻ אֶת
הַגָּג, יָצְקֻ
הַיֹּם אֶת
שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם
שֶׁל הַגָּג.
הַיֹּם נִשְׁמְעֻ
קֹלֹת פַּטִּישֵׁי
נַגָּרִים וְקֹלֹת
פַּטִּישֵׁי נַפָּחִים
נַפָּח
נַפָּץ
נַפָּח
נַפָּץ
קֹל
עַל
קֹל
מְנַהֲמִים
קֹל
עַל
קֹל
מַנְחִיתִים
הַנְחֵת
מַכָּה
עַל
זֶה.
זֶה
עַל
זֶה.
דִּמְמַת
נִסִּים וּמֹפְתִים.
אֲנָשִׁים עַל
הַגָּג מִתְהַלְּכִים
כִּצְלָלִים. כִּצְלִילִים.
דְּפִיקֹת בְּפַטִּישׁ
בְּפָסֻק שֶׁל
שְׁתֵּי מִלִּים
חֲזָקֹת וְשָׁלֹש
קְצָרֹת. דֻּשִׂיחַ
הַפַּטִּישׁ וְהַחֹמֶר.
הַשָּׂרֻעַ כְּאִשָּׁה
בִּשְׁעַת יִעֻדָהּ.
הַיֹּם דָּפְקֻ
בְּפַטִּישֵׁי נַגָּרִים
חֲלָקִים וַחֲשֻׂפִים
בִּדְפִיקֹת סֵתֶר
כְּעַל קְרָשִׁים
מֻקְצָעִים בְּמַקְצֻעָה.
לֹא מַסְמְרִים
בְּרֹאשׁ גָּדֹל,
וְלֹא מַסְמְרִים
בְּרֹאשׁ קָטָן,
אֶחָד לְיַד
הַשֵּׁנִי טְלְיַאק־טְלְיַאק.
הַיֹּם הֵחֵלָּה
לְהִוָּצֵר דִּמְמַת
הַחֲדָרִים עִם
כָּל הַנָּחַת
לְבֵנָה רִאשֹׁנָה
מַתְחִילָה הַהַצְעָפָה
הַשְּׁמֻרָה לְעַצְמוֹ
כָּל חֶדֶר
וּבֹדֶלֶת אֶת
עַצְמָהּ מֵרַעַשׁ.
אַךְ הַבַּיִת
דָּרַשׁ מֵעַצְמוֹ.
דָּפְקֻ נַפָּחִים –
וַיַּרְא כִּי
טֹב. דָּפְקֻ
נַגָּרִים – וַיַּרְא
כִּי טֹב.
כָּל דָּבָר
וַיַּרְא כִּי
טֹב מְאֹד.
אַךְ הַבַּיִת
דָּרַשׁ מֵעַצְמוֹ.
עָלָה מִגַּג
אֶל גַּג,
מִיַּעַר אֶל
יַעַר. הִתְחַיֻּת
הָרְחֹב עִם
תַּהֲלִיךְ הַבְּנִיָּה.
הַגָּג בַּלַּיְלָה
הַגָּג בַּלַּיְלָה
נִרְאֶה כְּבֹּיְדְם
אוֹ כִּמְלֻנָה
בַּכְּרָמִים בְּ־1932
כְּמוֹ בְּבֵּית־דֶּגַ'ן
בַּעֲיֻן־קָרָא בְּשָׁמַיִם
מְעֻנָּנִים, רַק
לַחֲלֹם בָּהֶם.
עֲנָנִים לָנֻם
בָּהֶם. לְבַקֵּשׁ
אֶת שֶׁאָהֲבָה
נַפְשִׁי בַּכֶּרֶם.
הָרִצְפָּה
רִצְפַּת יְצִיקָה
רָצְתָה לַחֲזֹר,
דְּחָפוּהָ חֲזָרָה.
לֹא צָרִיךְ.
דָּפְקֻ הָאֲלַכְסֹן –
הַצִּדָּה. דָּפְקֻ
הַתֹּמְכִים – הַצִּדָּה.
דָּפְקֻ הַסֹּמְכִים.
כְּשֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם
תַּפְקִיד הָיָה
חֵן, וּכְשֶׁאֵין –
אֵין. עַכְשָׁו
עֲרֵמָה אַחַת
דֹּמָה לְאֶחָד.
כָּל אֶחָד,
הַטֶּכְנִי וְהָרֻחָנִי.
לָקְחֻ מַדִּים
וְהָלְכֻ הַבַּיְתָה.
לָקְחֻ שָׂפָה,
הִשְׁמִיעֻ קֹל.
רִצְפַּת קְרָשִׁים,
קֵרְבֻהָ לַקָּצֶה.
הִתְכֹּפְפָה אָחֹרָה.
רָצְתָה לַחֲזֹר.
פַּעַם וּפַעֲמַיִם
רָצְתָה לַחֲזֹר.
דְּפָקֻהָ הַחֻצָה:
לֹא צָרִיךְ.
הַיַּעַר טֹהַר.
אֵין עֵצִים,
וְלֹא חַיֹּת.
יֵשׁ מֹסְדֹת.
אֲקֻסְטִיקָה
הָיָה מֻשְׁלָם.
הָאֲקֻסְטִיקָה שֶׁל
רְחֹב בֶּרְדִּיצֶ'בְסְקִי –
כְּהֵיכַל הַתַּרְבֻּת.
צְפִירָה – שֹׁמְעִים.
מַה שֶּׁבַּבַּיִת
בֵּין אִישׁ
לְאִשְׁתּוֹ – שֹׁמְעִים.
מַה שֶּׁאֲנָשִׁים
קֹנִים בַּחֲנֻת –
שֹׁמְעִים אֶת
זֶה בָּרְחֹב.
הַבַּיִת דָּרַשׁ
מֵעַצְמוֹ כָּל
הַתְּמֹכֹת, כָּל
הַסְּמֹכֹת,
מִיַּעַר מִלְּמַטָּה
לְיַעַר מִלְּמַעְלָה,
הִתְכֹּפְפֻ כְּאִישׁ
אֶחָד לָשֵׂאת
מִשְׁטַח קְרָשִׁים
שֶׁעָלָיו יָצְקֻ
גַּג עֶלְיֹן.
הִתְכֹּפְפֻ לְזָקֻף
לִמְשֹׁךְ אָחֹרָה
פַּעַם לְפָנִימָה
פַּעַם לְקָדִימָה
פַּעַם בְּאֶמְצַע.
יָשָׁר קָדִימָה
זָקֻף אָחֹרָה.
לִתְמֹךְ בְּגַג
הַזִּיפְזִיף – כֵּיצַד?
כַּקַּרְנַיִם תֹּמְכֹת
בֶּעָקֹם בָּרָקִיעַ,
כֵּן בַּאֲלַכְסֹן
בַּיְקֻם סֹמְכֹת.
כְּסֻס עֹמֵד
בְּרַגְלַיִם אֲחֹרִיֹּת
כְּיָדַיִם בְּטַלִּית
בְּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים.
כְּסֻס עֹצֵר
מִתְעַקֵּשׁ בְּקִדְמִיֹּת
וּבְרַגְלַיִם אֲחֹרִיֹּת
דֹּחֵף קָדִימָה.
תֻּכְרְכֻ בְּתֻגָּה
כָּל הַתְּמֹכֹת
וְהַסְּמֹכֹת וְרִצְפֹּת
הַקְּרָשִׁים תֻּכְרְכֻ
וְנֶאֶרְזֻ וְהֻשְׁלְכֻ.
כְּמוֹ בַּכְּרָמִים
ב-1932, בִּגְמַר
הַבָּצִיר, לָקְחֻ
הַשֹּׁמְרִים אִישׁ
חֲבִילָתוֹ וְהָלַךְ
הַבַּיְתָה בַּמִּשְׁעֹלִים
לָאֹרֶךְ וְלַרֹחַב
בֵּין הַכְּרָמִים
בֵּין הַשִּׂיחִים
הַגְּמֻלִים מְאֶשְׁכֹּל
הָלְכֻ וְחָזְרֻ
הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַפְרֶנְקִים
לְבָתֵּיהֶם בְּרִאשֹׁן
לְצִיֹּן בְּחֶדֶר
אֶחָד וּמִטָּה
אַחַת, וּפְרֶנְקִינְיֶה.
כָּל הַתְּמֹכֹת,
כָּל הַסְּמֹכֹת,
נֶאֶרְזֻ בְּחֶבֶל
וְהֻשְׁלְכֻ לְמַטָּה.
אֲפִלֻּ מִבְּלִי
לַחְשֹׁש שֶׁאַחַת
מֵהֶן תִּתְחַמֵּק
לָשֻׁב לַמַּעֲמָד
הַקֹּדֵם. הֻשְׁלְכֻ
אַחַת אַחַת,
הִשְׁמִיעֻ מְחָאָה.
יָצְאֻ בִּטְרַאסְק.
לֹא עָזַר
לָהֶן כְּלֻם.
אֵין קֹל
וְאֵין עֹנֶה.
כַּעֲבֹר רֵגַע
מְכֹנִית נֶעֶלְמָה
עִם הַתְּמֹכֹת
וְעִם הַסְּמֹכֹת.
הַפֹּעֲלִים יָשְׁבֻ
לֶאֱכֹל. נִרְאֶה
יֹם גְּנֻסְיָה
לָהֶם. כֹּבְעֵיהֶם
רֵגַע צְפֻפִים
זֶה לָזֶה.
שָׁתֻ מַיִם
מִבַּקְבֻּק וּפְקָק.
הֹרִידֻ
הַפַּטִּישׁ פַּעֲמֹן
וְהַבַּיִת בְּדֹלַח.
הַבַּיִת מְצַלְצֵל
וְהַפַּטִּישׁ מְנַגֵּן.
הַפַּטִּישׁ פַּטְפְּטָן
וְהַבַּיִת מַחֲרִישׁ.
כְּבָר הֹרִידֻ
אֶת הַמָּנֹף.
הַיֹּשֵב עַל הַקִּיר
גָּמְרֻ לְהַנִּיחַ
שֻׁרָה עַד
אֶדֶן הַחַלֹּן,
הִתְיַשְּׁבֻ עַל
הַקִּיר כְּיֹשֵב
עַל הַסִּיר.
זֶה רֵאשִׁית
אָדָם בַּבַּיִת.
אָדָם בַּבַּיִת
הַמְשֻׁפָּץ. הִתְחִיל
אָדָם לָגֻר
בַּבַּיִת.
לְאַט לְאַט
לָבַשׁ הַבַּיִת
לְבֵנִים לְבָנֹת
כְּכֻתֹּנֶת לְבָנָה.
כְּאִשָּׁה מֹתַחַת
לְגָלֻי רֹאשׁ
עֲגֻלֵּי סֹף
לִגְמַר הַבָּשָׂר.
הֻא רַחֻם לֹא יָכֹל לִהְיֹת מְרַחֵם
הַלַּיְלָה רֹאִים
רִתְם מְרֻבָּע:
יָד רֹאשׁ
יָד רֶגֶל.
כְּמוֹ הַקִּיר
שֶׁל הַכְּנֵסִיָּה
הַקָּתֹלִית בִּקְרַסְנִיסְטַאוו
מֵהַמֵּאָה הַ־XVII.
כָּל זֶה
דֻּגְמָא לַבַּיִת
הַמְשֻׁפָּץ, שֶׁעֲדַיִן
בְּחֹרִים אֲבֵלִים:
מְגֻלֶּה בְּעֶלְיֹנִים
מְכֻסֶּה בְּתַחְתֹּנִים,
מִן קְרַסְנִיסְטַאוו
עַד הֵנָּה.
קְרַסְנִיסְטַאוו בַּיִת
בְּתֵל אָבִיב
אָהַבְתִּי בָּתִּים
עַד שֶׁנֶּהֶרְסֻ
וְנִבְנֻ מֵחָדָשׁ.
הִצְטַעַרְתִּי שֶׁנֶּהֶרְסֻ
הַיָּשָׁן שָׁכַחְתִּי.
לֻ שָׁכַחְתִּי
קְרַסְנִיסְטַאוו בַּיִת.
הַבַּלֶבָּתִּים
עֹרְכֵי דִּין
שִׁפְּצֻ הַבַּיִת.
הֵם הַבַּלֶבָּתִּים –
וּמִי כְּנֶגְדָּם?
הַשָּׁכֵן יָרֵא
מְעֹרְכֵי דִּין.
הֹצִיאֻ הַגָּדֵר
לַחֲצִי הַמִּדְרָכָה.
רְשֻׁת הָרַבִּים!
גֶּזֶל הַצִּבֻּר!
דִּינָא דְּמַלְכֻתָא
דִּינָא. דְּ עֹ כְ רֵ י
דִּינָהּ – דִּינָא?
יָרֵא הַשָּׁכֵן
לְהָזִיז חֲזָרָה.
לְהַתְחִיל אִתָּם.
פַּחַד פֶּנְסְיֹנֶר
מְעֹרְכֵי דִּין.
גִּמְלַאי וְקָרַחַת
שָׁוִים לַתַּחַת.
הֲיַעֲקֹר הַדִּין
יֵשׁ חֹק
עֵץ יַעֲקֹר.
אִם יַעֲקֹר
עֵץ הַחֹק,
אוֹ עֵץ
אֶת הַחֹק,
הֻא יַעֲקֹר,
זֹאת אֹמֶרֶת.
יֵשׁ דִּין
עֲקִירַת עֵצִים.
אִם דִּין
יַעֲקֹר אֶת
הָעֵץ, אוֹ
הָעֵץ יַעֲקֹר
אֶת הַדִּין,
זֹאת אֹמֶרֶת.
עֹמֵד עֵץ
בְּאֶמְצַע הַמִּדְרָכָה.
הֲיַעֲקֹר הַדִּין,
זֹאת אֹמֶרֶת.
הַיֹּם שָׁמְעֻ
הַיֹּם שָׁמְעֻ
כְּמוֹ צִפֹּר
מְנַקֶּרֶת בֶּעָנָף
לִמְצֹא תֹּלַעַת.
גִּבֹּר
מִמַּיִם
מָהִיר
מִזְּמַן.
אֵין עָבָר,
אֵין הֹוֶה,
אֵין עָתִיד,
יֵשׁ זְמַן.
שִׂימִי זֹאת
לְתֹךְ לִבֵּךְ.
לְכִי הַבַּיְתָה
וְתָנֻחִי וְאַל
תְּדַבְּרִי עֹד
מִשֶּׁפַע הַבְּרָכָה.
וְתִשְׁאֲלִי אֶת
יָאִיר הוּרְבִיץ.
זֶה הַבַּיִת
הַבַּיִת הִתְלַבֵּשׁ
לָבָן מֵהָרַגְלַיִם
וִיסֻד הַגֻּף
עַד הַסַּנְטֵר.
הִתְחַלְתִּי בָּזֹאת
שֶׁאִשָּׁה מֹתַחַת
כֻּתֹּנֶת מֵהָרֹאשׁ
בְּסֹף הַגֻּף.
עַכְשָׁו הַכֻּתֹּנֶת
עַד הַסַּנְטֵר.
כִּי הַבַּיִת
זֶה אִשָּׁה.
נִפְלְחָה מִן הַמַּדְרֵגֹת וְעִם כָּל הַמַּדְרֵגֹת
יֹם אֶחָד נִפְלְחָה דֶּלֶת הַקֹּמָה הַשְׁנִיָּה
וְכָל רִצְפַּת הַחֹל־חַמְרָה־בֶּטֹן הִתְרֹמְמָה וְזָעָה וְזָזָה
וְנִשְׁפְּכָה וּבָרְחָה וְנִזְרְקָה מִן הַמַּדְרֵגֹת וְעִם הַמַּדְרֵגֹת.
הַחֶדֶר שֶׁבַּקֹּמָה הַשְּׁנִיָּה נִשְׁאַר מֻאָר בַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ כְּמִקֹּדֶם בִּסְמֹכֹת הָעֵץ הָעֵירֻמֹּת
כְּמִקֹּדֶם.
פֻן וַואנֶען נֶמְט זִיךְ דָאס?
מֵאַיִן זֶה נֹבֵעַ?
וָואס הַיְיסְט?
מַה זֹּאת אֹמֶרֶת?
כָּל כַּמָּה
כָּל כַּמָּה
שֶׁאֲנִי לֹא
עֹבֵר עַל
הַבַּיִת הֻא
עֲדַיִן חֻרְבָּה
שֶׁדְּמֻת דְּבֹיְרֶ'לֶה
בְּחֹרִים וּבַדֶּלֶת
וְהַחֹר בַּמְעַרְבֵּל.
הַבַּיִת דֹּמֶה
לְקֻפְסָה מִגַּפְרֻרִים
שֶׁשֹּׁמְעִים רַק
כִּפְתֹחַ וְכִסְגֹר.
הַבַּיִת שָׁקֵט.
נָח מִיצִיקָה.
הַכֹּל מִתְיַבֵּשׁ.
הַמְעַרְבֵּל עִם
אֵבֶר מִילָה
חִוֵּר עֹמֵד
עָלֻב עִם
חֹר בַּבֶּטֶן.
הַבַּיִת בִּזְמַן
בְּנִיָּתוֹ נִרְאֶה
כָּל הַזְּמַן
הֹלֵךְ וְנֶהֱרָס.
כָּל טְלַאי
שֶׁמֹּסִיפִים לוֹ –
הַדְגָּשַׁת הֶהָרֻס.
כַּמָּה הָרֻס!
ד סיון תשמט – ד תשרי תשן, 7 יוני – 2 אוקטובר 1989
שְׂפַת הַבַּיִת
שְׂפַת הַבַּיִת
רְעִידַת אֲדָמָה.
לִפְעָמִים הַקֹּל
הֻא שֶׁל
קֻפְסַת פַּח
וְלִפְעָמִים זֶה
נוֹכְחֻת עֲדִינָה.
חֹזְרִים מֵהַחַיִּים.
מִתְּפִלָּה חַמָּה
חֹזְרִים אֶל
הַדְּבָרִים הַפְּשֻׁטִים
שֶׁיֹּתֵר מְצֻיִים:
הַבַּיִת מַבִּיט
עֹד בְּחֹרִים עֵינַיִם.
מֵהַדֶּלֶת שֶׁל
דְּבֹיְרֶ'לֶה נִשְׁפְּכָה
רִצְפַּת הֶעָפָר
הַחֻצָה וְהַדְּלָתֹת
מִתְנֹדְדֹת בִּדְוַי
פְּתֻחֹת כְּיָדַיִם
פְּשֻׁטֹת. בַּסֵּפֶר
טְמֻנָה תְּפִלָּה
לַאדֹנָי שֶׁחָשְׂפֻ
לָהֶם קַדְמֹנִים.
הַקַּדְמֹנִים חָשְׁבֻ
לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים
לְמַעַן לָתֵת
מַשְׁמָעֻת לַמַּהֻת.
כב טבת תשן, 19 ינואר 1990
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I use lowercase throughout my translation in stylistic echo of Yeshurun’s nonstandard Hebrew. ↩
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Yiddish diminutive of Deborah. ↩
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Yiddish for “attic.” ↩
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Bayt Dajan (also known as Dajūn) was a Palestinian Arab village six kilometers outside Yaffo. On April 25, 1948, as part of the actions and reactions leading up to the Arab-Israeli War, the village was entirely depopulated. The Israeli town of Beyt Dagan was erected on the same site in 1948. ↩
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The Arab village of Ayun Kara (eight kilometers south of Tel Aviv) was the site of a bloody battle between Turkish troops and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade on November 14, 1917. ↩
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Echoes Song of Songs 3:1: “I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not” (KJV). ↩
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Echoes Jeremiah 31:37: “Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD” (KJV). ↩
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Hebrew for “the Culture Palace,” referring to the largest concert hall in Tel Aviv, just a few minutes’ walk from where Yeshurun lived on Berdichevsky Street. ↩
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The priestly prayer or priestly blessing, also known in rabbinic sources as the “raising of the hands,” is a Hebrew prayer which Jews of the priestly order (Kohanim) recite to this day. During the course of the prayer, the Kohen spreads his hands out over the congregation with the fingers of both hands separated so as to make four spaces between them. Each Kohen’s tallis (Hebrew/Yiddish, “prayer shawl”) is draped over his head and hands so that the congregation cannot see his hands while the blessing is being said. ↩
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Echoes Genesis 13:17: “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee” (KJV). ↩
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Derogatory Hebrew term for North African and Middle Eastern French-speaking Jews, generally associated with an East European Jewish prejudice against African and Middle Eastern Jews. ↩
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Rishon L’Tzion (Hebrew, literally, “The First to Zion”) is the fourth-largest city in contemporary Israel and was founded in 1882 by Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire; they purchased land that had previously been townland of the Arab village of Ayun Kara in order to establish an early Zionist settlement. ↩
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A particular shrub genus in the Frankeniaceae family of flowering plants. ↩
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Yeshurun uses the Aramaic phrase yom genusya here, a Talmudic term for a birthday or coronation (of a king). ↩
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Krasnystaw, a town in present-day eastern Poland, was Yeshurun’s hometown and the place he left behind when he moved to Palestine in 1925. ↩
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Yeshurun uses the Yiddish term balebosim here, which might also be translated as “masters” or “overlords” but also “hosts.” ↩
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Yeshurun quotes the Talmudic Aramaic phrase dina d’malkhuta dina here, referring to the Jewish rabbinical law (halakhah) that the law of the country is binding and in some cases even overrules Jewish law. ↩
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Yair Hurvitz (1941–88) was a poet who was active in the Hebrew poetry scene in Tel Aviv from the early 1960s until his abrupt death in 1988. ↩
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Yeshurun performs a code-switching here between Yiddish and Hebrew, writing the first and third lines of the quatrain in Yiddish and the second and fourth in Hebrew. Each Hebrew line appears to roughly translate the Yiddish line above it, subverting the traditional relationship between the two languages, where Hebrew is treated as primary and Yiddish as secondary. ↩
