new photographs of Jerusalem and a Poem

Taken from one of the nicest spots in Jerusalem, a secret garden in the heart of Abu Tor.

So many poems, songs, books, have been inspired from this magnificent view.

here’s one by poet Yehuda Amichai, who lived and loved in jerusalem and wrote so much about her.

Jerusalem is a Spinning Carousel
Yehuda Amichai

Jerusalem is a carousel spinning round and round
from the Old City through every neighborhood and back to the Old.
And you can’t get off. If you jump you’re risking your life
and if you step off when it stops you must pay again
to get back on for more turns that never will end.
Instead of painted elephants and horses to ride
religions go up, down and around on their axes
to unctuous melodies from the houses of prayer.
Jerusalem is a seesaw: Sometimes I go down,
to past generations and sometimes up, into the sky,
then like a child dangling on high, legs swinging, I cry
I want to get down, Daddy, Daddy, I want to get down,
Daddy, get me down.
And like that, all the saints go up into the sky.
They’re like children screaming, Daddy, I want to stay high,
Daddy don’t bring me down, Our Father Our King,
leave me on high, Our Father Our King!

*Translated from Hebrew by Vivian Eden

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/culture/poem-of-the-week-yehuda-amichai-on-the-ups-and-downs-of-jerusalem.premium-1.519283