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 Warring

Have you heard of an age of love without time? How can this be? Life is marked by pain 'within'…
The Warring

The Message

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

Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, oh holy spirit please rescue me.Holy Spirit come live inside of me. You are my…
Holy Spirit

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?

Good Morning My God

When I awake, You are the first thought on my mind.When I awake, the joy of Your presence is…
Good Morning My God

Shabbat Poem

O' people, dear people the Sabbath day has comeand we are gathered as a familywith the setting…
Shabbat Poem

In Passing Hellos

That’s all we can afford to give.We've been made to feel afraid of each other.They tell us each…
In Passing Hellos

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

Someone Who Cares

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

Antiques

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

The Largeness of Love

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

A Talk with God

Who made you, God? He said, "I AM". Will you protect me? "I HAVE BEEN". Why is there pain? "SO…
A Talk with God

Eyes

I’ve seen innocent eyes, living out their fantasyEyes not trying to hide, naked to ecstasy.I’ve…
Eyes

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

Anne Frank Poem

A simple girl with great ambitions, that wereNever to be fulfilled; butNeither to go unnoticed,…
Anne Frank Poem

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

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


donation