Tali Okman (Israele)

Tali Okman (Israele)

Fortune

You always loved

to caress my earlobe.

You used to pinch it a little,

(me,)

it tickled and we laughed.

We understood each other.

When it was just the two of us together, you did not have to cry out loud.

I knew when to feed you,

I knew when to change your diaper,

I knew when you were speaking even without hearing.

By the notes registered in your face I knew, and no note went amiss between us.

With my arms I would lift you up

and then, cradling you

I would lay you on my shoulder

and you would with one hand devour the air around us,

and with one hand, always,

you would caress my earlobe.

I signaled to everyone: See how pretty she is!

Pretty: palm open wide,

thumb anchored at the chin, and the hand passing across the face,

emphasizing its beauty, and then closing, holding a secret. The eyes open wide.

See! She how pretty she is!

I showed you off.

You lay on my shoulder, one hand devouring the air around us,

one hand caressing my earlobe,

what were you saying to all the visitors who came to see you?

They all came back to me with laughter and delight,

and I would scream in my heart: How fortunate.

How fortunate, how fortunate

she is

not deaf.