MIGRATING BIRDS
For Shaul, my son
Over the lighthouse of Stella Maris -
two hundred pelicans in flight.
Heavy air today. Slowly they flap
over the greying sea, over
the greening mountain rocks,
an arrowhead pointed North.
Head to tail to head they lock
in the pattern, secure
in this struture. Suddenly
feathers are scattered, the line
is broken from fear of the whirling
chopper descending roof high,
desperate to find the bright
square, the tightened center,
the landing platform
of Rambam, on sea.
Translated from the Hebrew by Elain Magarrel
* Rambam: Hospital in Haifa, where army in the North are treated
Migrating Birds
For Shaul, my son.
Above the Stella Maris lighthouse
two hundred pelicans in flight.
The air is heavy today, and their flapping sluggish
across the graying sea,
above the green mountain cliffs.
Like an arrowhead pitched north
they join head to tail
forging a blocked secure formation.
All at once their line breaks
their feathers scatter
from the threat of the spinning chopper
descending toward roofs,
urgently, despairingly, seeking
the center of the bright square:
the landing tract of "Ramba`m Hospital" on sea.
Translated from the Hebrew by Tsipi Keler
© Elisha Porat