I’m in Israel

“You around?”

“I’m in Israel” 

Raw and empty

Choking on stories

His father, her best friends

the blood on the door is ours–

on the floor too

It didn’t keep out the משחית* this time

Rocket remnants and pockmarked concrete

punctuated by a yellow tricycle

We are all scar tissue

wounds that ache with memory

broken and bleeding words

Hard to hear

listen

speak across the sea of blood

בְּדָמַיִךְ חיי**

Blood on her sweatpants

Live

Remember

Speak

“Oh! Send us food pics!”

There is no emoji for existential agony

“Haha” 

Doesn’t quite convey the screaming silence

By Karen Martin

*Mashchit - destroyer (Exodus 12:13)

**b’damaiyich chai - by your blood, live (Ezekiel 16:6)