O JERICHO! driving downhill into the valley mountains so old bedouins still dwell in it prophets walked through it Abraham Moses Mohammad. earth’s lowest point where else can you go but up? childhood city of mine reached the famous Sea Level Stone had to stop and kiss it (eerie feeling) ears popped from pressure wife couldn’t hear any more… outskirts of the city Israeli boarder patrol the questions start I have been refused entry (for the past 22 years to be exact) not this time God is good no mans land Palestinian land salaam allahu alikum may peace be upon you wa’alikum asalaam and peace upon you welcome home son smiling guards yell I am also smiling… pass by the “ Head Hospital” you see I ran away from home at age four to look for my father who’s never home mother said your father King of the Apple Market is at work I said in my head I know where that market is got hit with a chicken truck right in front of the hospital they scooped me with my head cracked wide open… looked for the house I grew up in still there said hello to the balcony the one I slept in hot summer nights same balcony I saw dead people from when the enemy raped my sleepy town sipping mint tea (Jericho has the best mint tea on earth) tasting the sweetest oranges I’m back to my happy childhood when I smelled the rain evaporating in the hot summer days poof gone in seconds where I walked through the streets when I was my older brothers tail going to school Terra Sancta… Jericho O Jericho! home of the Mount of Temptation the Umayyad winter Palaces the best lemmon trees where I smelled the jasmine perfuming the streets home of the refugee camps too poverty and misery nowadays drove through the valley along the River Jordan where Jesus washed his feet drove to Tiberia Lake drove to Nazareth home of the famous prophet Jericho O Jericho! home of the Dead Sea Where nothing lives now even fish left town

Conspiracy- Confliction- Deterioration- Annihilation- Refugees in the millions. Baa’uohaa- they sold the LAND- I look into the distant land,’ I see the mount of Temptation, Where Jesus fasted for 40 days. I am in a very old land- Jericho- The oldest city in the world. Below sea level, home of the Dead Sea- My childhood city. Standing at the balcony, Starring, watching the enemy, Rolling down, From the mount of Temptation, TANKS open FIRE^^^^^^ ******************************* I asked my mother, Why is the man in my house? Not moving- Not breathing- Is he sleeping! @@ Mother!!! Had nothing to say… Mother I asked??? Why is the man BLEEDING. Mother I asked??? What is the man with the army fatigue doing? Sitting at the corner, With his eyes wide open??? Not moving- not walking- The next day came, and the day after and after. He is still at the corner- not moving- He is still starring at my balcony- Doesn’t he need to shut his eye lids-? I was six years old, I asked all the QUESTIONS, Mother, didn’t have all the ANSWERS. ****************************** I wore a blue, All STAR sneaker, It was my older brother’s sneaker-Mahmoud- So large, it was bigger than my Head. I still wore it with pride, It was my favorite brother’s sneaker, It was sacred to me, I was six years old, What the hell did I know… I stepped on to the Bus, My family heading, Northwest bound, Jerusalem. The whole world was moving, Eastbound to the boarder, Jordan. The bus driver asked me? What is this sneaker you’re wearing, And why is it so big on you??? I REPLIED!!!@@@ My favorite sneaker in the Whole wide World- WWW.com -Baa’ouhaa- The bus driver burst out crying, And laughing at the same time. I stated, why do you cry, It’s only my Blue, ALL STAR sneaker, BAA’OUHAA…

To the city of my birth, My memories of you, Have been pleasant and painful. Running in the narrow roads of the old city, Walls that are hundreds of years old, Salah-el Din built, who defeated the crusaders. I walk in the Via Delorosa, The footsteps of Jesus, I walk in the Dome of the Rock, Where prophet Muhammad, Ascended to the seven skies. I walk behind my father’s footsteps, When he used to go to his shop. Narrow alleys- Narrow roads and entrances- The smell of Jasmine & Honey Suckle. The many different sueks-markets-casbas- The spice market, the copper market. The meat market, the sweets market. The faces I saw day in & day out. The fresh coffee smell, The souvenir shops, The small hummus and falafel cafes. The family butcher, Cutting our favorite meet for the Eid. My mother missing ingredients, Me running to the market, To get what’s missing. The smell of the coal burner in the winter. The smell of barbeque in the spring. In the middle of the house garden. My mother tending to the plants. Visiting the holy places, Visiting the mosques- Omar’s mosque- the Holy Sepulchre Visiting the stores- Houses- Bakeries. I still remember the Sirens of the Air Raids, October’s war- 1973- the Yom Kippur War. The thundering of the Fighter Jets in the skies. Bombs exploding. Me running with my brother to safety. The look of fear and reluctance on my mother’s face. The blackened windows, The shuttered shops in the curfew times. The anger of the Zionist enemy after the WAR. I remember the demonstrations against the occupation. I remember the fallen victims resisting the occupier. I remember the happiness of the Nation, As the enemy was losing. I do remember the better days, When I played in the dirt- Marbles. When I walked to school every day. When I bought Shawarma sandwich & Drank 7-UP with my mother. My beloved Jerusalem, I miss you so much. I miss my childhood. My beloved Jerusalem, You are in my HEART. You live in my SOUL. You live in my DREAMS.