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on going to the movies with a Jewish friend, 1990
- Syracuse University Press
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30 on going to the movies with a Jewish friend 1990 1 a new summer out of the bookstore into a movie theater with the enemy at my side we were close as we sat in darkness our elbows touching mine and the enemy’s we traded glasses to see which frames best suited our Semitic features they were not dissimilar our glasses or our features they’re dusty he whispered as I put his frames around my eyes in the safe darkness I winced at the blurs on the screen he turned away embarrassed 31 2 far away from my tennis shoes lies the Palestinian shore where my bare feet beat a memory into the earth distant from this smoky pool hall is the mulberry tree under which I wrote poetry for that stolen shore far from the clamor of Springsteen there weeps a sad melody whose audience is the wind and the mulberry tree unknown to my companion is the poppy-dotted hillside that taught my soul to breathe 3 if I were heated wax that covered your body from the peak of your head to the tips of your fingers to the ends of your toes then sealed would you scream my truth? [3.238.57.9] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 19:01 GMT) 32 what if I melted again poured myself into your cupped hands like raindrops would you drink me? if my teardrops filled a riverbed became an ocean would you swim with me? if the kohl from my eyes traced a line around you trapping you would you accept my heartbeat? if I offered you my tongue to wrap around your own would you speak my words? ...