If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem

If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem

If I forget thee, Jerusalem,
Then let my right be forgotten.
Let my right be forgotten, and my left remember.
Let my left remember, and your right close
And your mouth open near the gate.

 I shall remember Jerusalem
And forget the forest -- my love will remember,
Will open her hair, will close my window,
will forget my right,
Will forget my left.

If the west wind does not come
I'll never forgive the walls,
Or the sea, or myself.
Should my right forget
My left shall forgive,
I shall forget all water,
I shall forget my mother.

If I forget thee, Jerusalem,
Let my blood be forgotten.
I shall touch your forehead,
Forget my own,
My voice change
For the second and last time
To the most terrible of voices --
Or silence.

Originally found here

Related Articles

More From Poetry

The Largeness of Love

I’ll try to define - One small word, LoveDoes fill all the earth - And heavens above
The Largeness of Love

What a Day, Lord

I overslept when I had so much to do.I really didn't mean to forget about You.But nothing…
What a Day, Lord

Antiques

Please don't know this aging antique deskIt was not chosen with idle foolishnessThe finish is…
Antiques
I Need a Miracle

I Need a Miracle

I’ve wronged my Lord, Why even prayer for me? I’ve let Him down somehow, Now a man who cannot…
I Need a Miracle

How Much Does a Prayer Weigh?

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery…
How Much Does a Prayer Weigh?

The Chase

It was a typical dayOf all work and no play,For this cop of chain and ball.He'd hide over a…
The Chase

Heaven Will Be

We will be there in a perfect sinless place,In a perfect universe, in a perfect space.Where all…
Heaven Will Be

Hear, O Israel

Hear, my people, Israel,The Lord is one, the only God,And you shall worship him alone,For him…
Hear, O Israel

A Date With?

Time is everything. Death knows nothing.Time can bring every pleasure known,And even bringing…
A Date With?

Veils

It's happening at the moment, deceptive veils all around.Veils so thin and clear at first, like…
Veils

Someone Who Cares

I'm writing to tell you of someone who cares,Whose life and death brought something I must…
Someone Who Cares

Needing a Miracle

I've wronged my Lord and Savior,Why even a prayer for me?I've let Him down too many times.Now…
Needing a Miracle

Sebastian

Sebastian may be blind, but he can seeEverything extant to you and me.Because his sight is…
Sebastian

The Message

I was right in the middle of deceitWhen truth found me.Well I thought I was living lifeas one…
The Message

Dry Dry Dry

'Twas in the desert Dry and parched I did seek For it was there my thirst grew strongest And it…
Dry Dry Dry

One Moment Please

Is it convenient to know when you will die?To have the extra moments to say good-bye?Maybe to…
One Moment Please

Publish the Menu module to "offcanvas" position. Here you can publish other modules as well.
Learn More.


donation