My friend Rafi Weichert published a poem in Haaretz today, apparently on reading a story to a chold – but it contains so many of the values an Israeli boy – who will soon become a soldier – needs. so i translated it:
Reading an Epic with a Child
For Ido
Rafi Weichert
As evening comes we read
of Achilles who returned to battle
and of Hector whose body was chained to a chariot.
In the lessons to come we’ll accompany Odysseus
on his way to Ithaca, duping the Cyclops,
and we’ll evade Circe the witch.
You listen to the ancient stories
with a mouth full of grapes from the bowl.
The epic proceeds to the sound of the peels cracking
and his heroes run or sail to the goal
still hidden from your eyes.
In life, you’ll come to see, there are moments of heroism
not necessarily connected with death –
insult, shame and anger that mostly come
in human forms.
You learn about the envy that deceives,
on the poisonous thirst for vengeance
and of deep chasm of.hubris
in the hours that wisdom is granted to you
like sails unfurling
to meet the great wind.
In years to come these tales will aid you –
invisible weapons that are drawn
to defeat the enemies within.
