The Song About the Child
by Salman Masalha Translated from Hebrew by Vivian Eden It is the song about the child Who was oppressed before he was born. It is the song about the child Who was pressed from the womb and robbed. It is the song about the child Who gleaned the sadness, and roamed. It is the song about the child Who was seized to the dark that came down. It is the song about the child Who by the sword was slashed, was slain. It is the song about the child Who was burned, who perished in fire. It is the song about the child Who swaddled in ashes, expired. It is the song about the child Who passed right by us, in fright. It is the song about the child Who quavered beside us, betrayed. It is the song about the child Who was embraced to our breast, who survived. It is the song about the child Who saves us From ourselves, Lest we die. |
Track of the Month: February 2017
"The Song About the Child"
Here are two TMF-commissioned choral settings of the Liberarte poem by Salman Masalha Salman Masalha is a Druze citizen of Israel who writes in Arabic and Hebrew. Works from his many volumes of poetry have been performed to music and recorded by leading Israeli and Palestinian musicians. He has won the Israel’s President’s Prize for Literature.
Listen here to more music in our Track of the Month Series. Photos by Michael J. Lutch.
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