Hear O Israel
Erich Fried
1974
When we were the persecuted
I was one of you
How can I remain one
when you become the persecutors?
Your longing was
to become like other nations
who murdered you
Now you have become like them
You have outlived
those who were cruel to you
Does their cruelty
live on in you now?
You ordered the defeated:
“Take off your boots”
Like the scapegoat…
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