Poem
Shai Dotan
THE FIRST PAINTING
How did God markCain’s forehead?
With Abel’s distorted lips
turning skyward?
Like the mouths of the butchered
or a white feather
from the wing of one of the cherubim
blackened at the brim.
And perhaps he plowed his forehead
with wrinkles, two or three,
those frail furrows
deepening the wail of regret
as the heart brims over with memory
and the soul dies on lips
leaving a weak whisper
instead.
© Translation: 2009, Ohad Stadler
הַצִּיּוּר הָרִאשׁוֹן
הַצִּיּוּר הָרִאשׁוֹן
מַה סִּמֵּן אֱלֹהִים
?עַל מִצְחוֹ שֶׁל קַיִן
הַאִם אֶת פִּיו הַמְּעֻוֶּה
שֶׁל הֶבֶל פּוֹנֶה לַשָּׁמַיִם
,כְּמוֹ פִּיּוֹת נִטְבָּחִים
אוֹ נוֹצָה לְבָנָה
מִכְּנַף אֶחָד הַכְּרוּבִים
.מְפֻיַּחַת בְּשׁוּלֵי הַפְּלוּמָה
וְאוּלַי חָרַשׁ בְּמִצְחוֹ
,שְׁנַיִם-שְׁלֹשָׁה קְמָטִים
אוֹתָם תְּלָמִים רָפִים
הַמַּעֲמִיקִים יִפְחַת חֲרָטָה
כְּשֶׁהַלֵּב מִתְפַּקֵּעַ מִזִּכָּרוֹן
וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ גּוֹוַעַת עַל הַשְּׂפָתַיִם
מוֹתִירָה בַּפֶּה
מִלְמוּל רָפֶה
© 2005, Shai Dotan
From: On the Verge
Publisher: Am Oved, Tel Aviv
From: On the Verge
Publisher: Am Oved, Tel Aviv
Poems
Poems of Shai Dotan
Close
THE FIRST PAINTING
How did God markCain’s forehead?
With Abel’s distorted lips
turning skyward?
Like the mouths of the butchered
or a white feather
from the wing of one of the cherubim
blackened at the brim.
And perhaps he plowed his forehead
with wrinkles, two or three,
those frail furrows
deepening the wail of regret
as the heart brims over with memory
and the soul dies on lips
leaving a weak whisper
instead.
© 2009, Ohad Stadler
From: On the Verge
From: On the Verge
THE FIRST PAINTING
How did God markCain’s forehead?
With Abel’s distorted lips
turning skyward?
Like the mouths of the butchered
or a white feather
from the wing of one of the cherubim
blackened at the brim.
And perhaps he plowed his forehead
with wrinkles, two or three,
those frail furrows
deepening the wail of regret
as the heart brims over with memory
and the soul dies on lips
leaving a weak whisper
instead.
© 2009, Ohad Stadler
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