To a Soldier Who Died for Israel - 1948

The desert was hot, the heat was intense,
And as far as the eye could see,
There was no beginning, there was no end,
There was just the desert and me,
My life was slowly ebbing,
And torture was in my soul,
And many dead were around me,
But the enemy was gone,
And gone was all the life,
And all there ever was,
In our home in the Negev,
The village of Samarach,
And, suddenly, there were voices
I've never heard before,
So wondrous, melodious and soft,
It must be a holy score,
They are the angels who sing
Of the glory of our land,
And a voice above them thundered:
"Shemah Israel to the end,
Keep fighting, hoping, winning,
Your land shall soon be free,
I am thy Lord, thy Keeper,
I'll guide you to victory."
And eternally shone the heavens,
And peace came to my soul,
As I left the world behind me,
To enter my heavenly goal.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2005 Alfred Charasz