Hold the Light

his name is noam
his name is shai
his name is tal
his name is david
his name is levi

his skin is as pale as the moon
his skin is as dark as the night
his skin is as soft as a baby's
his skin is as rough as an old man's

his eyes are dark brown
his eyes are sky blue
his eyes are sea green
his eyes are flecked with gold

he is tall and taut with muscles
he is short and so slight
i wonder how
he can even
carry his gun

he lays down
and within moments
is asleep
dark lashes
upon tanned cheeks

he lays down
and his body
twitches with tension
he lays down
and a tiny silver tear
runs from the corner
of his eye

he lays down
and every touch
makes his body jump
so in the end
i just hold him
and let my hands
rise and fall
with his breath

he gets up
and hugs me
he gets up
and shyly thanks me

he gets up
and tells me
this war
is not done
until the hostages
are home

he gets up
and tells me
his necklace
belonged
to his friend
who fell
in battle
and this way
he is always
with him
somewhere
close by

his name is noam
his name is shai
his name is tal
his name is david
his name is levi

his heart
is the light
in the dark

Israel 12/11/24

Orli was on holiday in Israel when the war broke out. Her son was sent into Gaza to fight and so she immediately made Aliyah in order to be close to him. She is a trauma informed body worker and
now spends her days by the border treating soldiers as they come in and out of Gaza, and her nights praying and dreaming of peace .