Elisheva Fox

psalm

texas and israel are a lot alike. this dawns on me as i watch morning

drape weary gold over green cedars; this dawns on me after

my mother hisses that the way i love is unwelcome

in her house.

jerusalem and houston, hill country and negev, tzfat and austin -

i am supposed to feel at peace, in these places,

the white stone is supposed to feel like sanctuary, but.

but.

like texas, israel is ruled by people who smiling say they love wildness

and then begin to pluck every weed, every errant flower.

like texas, israel has turned from living waters to blood,

to still steaming bodies of children, to shattered skulls,

their brains open to my eye like pearls,

the pelvic bones of peaceful women cracked oyster open.

elementary schools in the valley or homes reduced to powdered sugar dust,

the difference is only in how close i am to the screaming,

how far the ghosts have to travel to tell me

that the angel of death is at home, here.