Netanel Ellinsonis a fighter in the Reconnaissance Platoon of the IDF Paratrooper Brigade.
How are you, my beloved?
All is well.
(Breathes deeply, hides her longing.
She knows that if he thinks that all is well
It will be easier for him)
And you, my darling?
All good..
(He sweeps his misgivings away
If she knows all is good, she will be happier)
That's the way the two of us
Lie to each other
Out of our love for each other
After all, our Sages said
That one can lie for peace
And now
It is a time of war
This poem is taken from a new book, Hineni, a collection of poems of the spirit and writings of IDF soldiers, men and women, and written by them.
Hineni Cover
Most of the poets included are in active service during the current war, some as reservists and others as regular soldiers.
The book is a cooperative project of the Chief Commanding officer of the IDF Education Corps and the poetry magazine "Mashiv Haruach" - Returning the Spirit (paraphrasing the prayer Mashiv Haruach Umorid Hageshem" - He who makes the wind blow and the rain fall. Note that "wind" and "spirit" are the same word in Hebrew), writes its editor, well known Israeli poet Eliaz Cohen.
Translated from Hebrew by Rochel Sylvetsky