Debate for Peace

As part of the Writers Matter program, teachers from about twenty schools around Israel wrote and shared their writing together. The following piece is part of the “We Hope” collection, which features writing from two writers together. This piece is contributed by Elena from Makif Yud in Rishon Letzion.

We hope  

Alla

I hope simple kindness will prevail,

I hope war will be by peace defeated

I hope everyone will feel some joy

And every joyful day will be repeated!

I hope kids won’t cry in bitter fear

Imagining they will  be buried young

And greyish pain won’t cover mothers’ hair

I hope death notices won’t come.

I hope still to see the reason restored

And help both to governments and to the people

I hope to witness a peaceful flourishing world

I do hope the villain will be defeated.

Elena

Four am. I wake up and remember that wars start at sunrise

before Eos touches the ocean with its purplish fingers.

She’s dressed so brightly, it never matters if it’s February.

I look at the window thinking: it’s time to wash it.

I look at the palm trees, feeling, – not knowing

That in your city the war has started

And placed its ugly dragon paws on the Dnipro’s throat,

And  beats the snowy fields by its beastly tail

And ruins the gardens that would bear cherries

Six twenty. You went to bed an hour ago.

Getting the suitcase ready for your flight to Leipzig.

Six twenty one. The calamity on its way.

Six twenty two. I wake up to fetch a mug of coffee.

Six twenty three. Several kettles are boiling.

Six twenty four. Another dozen joins in.

Six twenty five. I open a thriller.

Six twenty six. Your turn a pillow.

Six twenty seven. The coffee is hot.

Six twenty eight. The mynah is chirping. 

Six twenty nine… My Gosh, another minute.

Six thirty. Six thirty one. You sleep.

The sirens don’t wail.

Eleven am. Eleven pm. Midnight. 

Three am. All’s quiet.

Both:

This is the silliest and the brightest of our hopes

Coming on its mighty wings out of the blue.

Coming on its lighting wings out of tunnels.

Coming on its embracing wings from the debris…