I Want To Die In My Own Bed

Yehuda Amichai

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All night the army came up from Gilgal
To get to the killing field, and that's all.
In the ground, warf and woof, lay the dead.
I want to die in My own bed.
Like slits in a tank, their eyes were uncanny,
I'm always the few and they are the many.
I must answer. They can interrogate My head.
But I want to die in My own bed.

The sun stood still in Gibeon. Forever so, it's willing
to illuminate those waging battle and killing.
I may not see My wife when her blood is shed,
But I want to die in My own bed.

Samson, his strength in his long black hair,
My hair they sheared when they made me a hero
Perforce, and taught me to charge ahead.
I want to die in My own bed.

I saw you could live and furnish with grace
Even a lion's den, if you've no other place.
I don't even mind to die alone, to be dead,
But I want to die in My own bed.

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Comments1
  • upocecil07175815

    "I Want To Die In My Own Bed" really struck a nerve with me. The raw emotion coupled with the unshakeable desire of the protagonist to find peace, even in death, is truly gripping. It's a profound exploration of war, sacrifice, and personal yearning beautifully woven into an unforgettable narrative. This elusive tranquility amidst chaos is something so intrinsically human and relatable; it's hauntingly moving.