Formations of the Fallen

Formation of the Fallen/Haim Heffer
translation: Adam Etzion

They come from the mountains, the plains, the desert
they come - names, faces, eyes - and group up for formation
they come with manly step, strong and tan
they come from the crashed planes and burnt tanks
they rise from behind boulders, over dunes and from the trenches
heroic as lions, brave as tigers, easy and light as eagles
and they pass, one by one, 'tween two lines of angels
who feed them sweets and place flowers on their necks
and I look at them and they're all happy
these are my brothers, O my brothers.

And they meet one another, black eyes, and blue and brown
and they talk of names, and weapons and places
and pour one another cups of coffee and tea
and suddenly burst in cheers of "hurrah!"
and they meet in the crowd many friends and acquaintances
and the commanders pat the privates on the back, and the privates shake the hands of the commanders
and they burst in to song and clap their hands
and all the dwellers of the sky listen to them in awe
and the meeting goes on,day and night and day and night
because a group of guys like these hasn't yet been seen up there
and then suddenly they hear familiar voices cry
and they look towards home to Mom and Dad, to the wives and children and brothers
and their faces turn silent and awkward
and someone quickly whispers "sorry,but we had to
we won the battles and now we rest"
these are my brothers, O my brothers

and so they stand with light on their faces
and only god alone passes between them
and with tears in his eyes he kisses their wounds
and says with a quivering voice to the white angels:
These are my sons, O my sons.


Today I remember my fallen brothers.

Israeli memorial day 2008