Lee Diamond – An UNCOMMON COMMON Vision
Some 45 ago
Life changed for me
I left the land of my birth
For the land of my people
I never actually left
The America that I I knew
That nourished me from cradle to
To maturity.
My face always shined toward
That Land that I loved.
The crucible of liberty
The spacious skies and majesty
From sea to shining sea.
America remains in my heart
Of hearts – the inner sanctum
Of my core.
Strangely I saw it as a. Model
For the new land of my people
Despite the rockets red glare
The bombs bursting in air
Our land is still there
Though I threw my lot in with Israel
As my newly discovered identity
And home
I drew energy from the 240 years
Of American democracy
And history
As we set our hands
At building the renewed Jewish State
Once again according to the plan
Of liberty and justice for all.
Israel rebuilt itself
After two millennia of dreams
America supported this dream and reality
We were allies because of our being, our essence
And that relationship has forever been reinforced
NO doubt about it.
As in all families relatives differ
We go in our human directions
But we always meet for
“thanks giving” and
“for giving”
Because we are of one fabric
Woven of threads of brotherhood
And values of justice and peace
But a new America has emerged
As of late
An America which rejects passion
And a soft landing
To the huddled masses yearning to be free
The Golden door
The lamp of welcome is closing
The light is dimming
To the tired, the poor
The wretched refuse of those teaming
Shores are rejected at the gate
America for Americans
The sweet land of liberty
Is not the song any longer.
My country ’tis of thee
Sweet land of bigotry
Has replaced sweet land of liberty
And we wonder!!!!!
Are we still a brotherhood
Israel and America?
Some would assert a common world view
Some are content with common
economic connection
And a common enemy
But as for me and my kind
America and Israel
Have embedded in our hearts and souls
Indivisible values
Which must never be destroyed or undermined
For these values are the alliance
Between
These brothers
You see, This brotherhood in a different neighborhood
Is rooted upon shores of passion and compassion
When our shores are awash with enmity
Towards all
When we reject the needy and tired and poor
The weave of the luscious fabric
Dis- integrates
America, Israel needs you to be America
Again
Israel, America needs you to be Israel
Again
A woven fabric of authentic threads
Formed in a higher place.
