Yes_so_am_I_a

Yes, so am I a soldier and a poet...

A musician and a brave soldier and a man of war...(Samuel 1, 16:18)
I am the armour-bearer of the king Anialious;
a loved treasure the muses gave me: I knew to play. (Archilochus)

Yes, so am I a soldier and a poet!
Today I�ll write with a pen � tomorrow I�ll write with a sword;
Today I�ll write with ink � tomorrow I�ll write with blood and will hack;
Today � on paper, tomorrow � on a man�s back;
Heaven gave a book and a sword.
Fate decided: a soldier and a poet.

Awesome glory and lofty is a poet�s song:
With black firebrand � stanzas, with white blade � sword does spring,
With gold flame � fire, with crimson � the blood does run,
With blue � stars a man�s vision is spun,
That tomorrow for his freedom will fight � and evening
Of battle in the camp is a poet�s song.

Cruel and bitter is the last battle though we fight like a lion,
On the edge of an iron desert, whose skies are lead!
Pain pierces heart like enemy�s sword,
Falls robbed soldier hungry for bread-of-freedom from the L-ord,
And in cold valley of despair bleeds and falls dead:
Kingdom of Ishmael in Zion!

First and Last, hear the voice of your lion!
Spread skies of gold on desert lead,
Tear confinement of slavery, bathe in enemy�s blood from a wound you did carve
And bread-of-freedom slice to all who starve.
Put crown of kingship on the dark city�s head,
Master of Jerusalem and Zion!

Written by �Yair�, Pirntze, 7th of Tamuz, 5694.
Translated by Shifra Shomron, Caravilla � Nitzan, 17th of Av, 5765 (August 2005).

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