Sarah Sassoon
Tunnels that Lie Under My House
I am mother of boys
mother of prayers
for everyone to live in a house
where mothers sleep at night
I know of words that dig deep tunnels
disturbing deep dreams
I know of jewelry confiscated at borders
I know what it is to live on a border
of sons pitted against sons
we all seek shelter
under tin tarp wood
under deep blue sky
all our houses are in danger of slipping
during heavy rain
Sometimes I wonder
if I dreamt last night
a year’s worth of dreams
to fill these tunnels
but I am only the mother of boys
there is no sleep
Sarah Sassoon is an Australian born, Iraqi Jewish, award winning writer, educator and poet. She is a Pushcart Prize nominee and her work has appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, Lilith, Ruminate and elsewhere. She lives in Jerusalem with her four boys. www.sarahsassoon.com