SomeOne is Watching

by Helen Bar-Lev

A world newly created

in a little garden called Eden

tomatoes, zucchini, parsley can be seen

trees of fruit, of life, of knowledge

all give shade even on the hottest of days

animals are cuddled up peacefully,

the lamb with the lion, the snake and the rat,

the dog and the cat,

a human appears, then another,

similar but different

then they have children, and look:

someOne who has invented

this innovative experiment

has been observing, taking notes,

making adjustments here and there,

drawing up plans for improvement

when one of the children murders the other –

Interesting, thinks the someOne who created them

as He eats a date, sips some wine made from local grapes,

decides not to get involved so does nothing

First mistake

It’s 68 A.D.

they’re selling popcorn at the Coliseum

marching Christians in,

all have been tortured before, of course

lions descend,

they’ve all been starved before, of course

no need to continue the scenario

but look at the spectators sitting in the stadium,

eating popcorn with dates and cheese, and look:

someOne is sitting there

popping grapes into His mouth –

and no, it’s not Bacchus –

It’s the year 1,410

the guys are at it again

gallant, galloping

burning with the lust of conquest

with the pleasure of slaughter

the rape of daughters

all over Europe the inquisition is in full swing

and on the highest hilltop in Jerusalem,

drinking goat’s milk, eating figs, and look:

someOne is watching them

with a telescope, a new invention –

but it’s not Galileo –

great spot He’s got, a view of the heavens

so He can see what His angels are up to

and also of the action on the blood-stained ground

we didn’t say He approves

but He’s not critical either

let’s say He’s nonchalant

It’s a thousand years later, give or take,

they’re selling popcorn

at the movie theatres

books at the schools

steaks in the restaurants

pizza in Rome, falafel in Jerusalem

olives in Baghdad, tickets to concerts in Paris

they’re gassing, bombing, beheading,

slaughtering, kidnapping, torturing

a cinerama of humanity

too enormous to view from just one vantage point,

so that someOne we’ve glimpsed before

is watching now from the clouds,

sipping pineapple juice,

maybe latte if it’s a cold day,

and no, it’s not an astronaut,

yawning, tsk tsk, boys will be boys,

kill, rape, conquer, destroy

this is the planet of free choice

* * * * *

© 7.2016 Helen Bar-Lev

Helen Bar-Lev was born in New York in 1942. www.helenbarlev.com  She holds a B.A. in Anthropology, has lived in Israel for 46 years and has had over 90 exhibitions of her landscape paintings, 34 of which were one-woman shows. Her poems and artwork have appeared in numerous online and print anthologies. Six poetry collections, all illustrated by Helen. She is the Amy Kitchener senior poet laureate. Helen was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2013 and is the recipient of the Homer European Medal for Poetry and Art. Helen is Assistant to the President of Voices Israel. She lives in Metulla, Israel.