I Don't Know If History Repeats Itself

Portrait of Yehuda Amichai
Yehuda Amichai 1924–2000

I don't Know if history repeats itself But I do know that you don't.

I remember that city was didvided Not only between Jews and Arabs, But Between me and you, When we were there together.

We made ourselves a womb of dangers We built ourselves a house of deadening wars Like men of far north Who build themselves a safe warm house of deadening ice.

The city has been reunited But we haven't been there together. By now I know That History doesn't repeat itself, As I always knew that you wouldn't.

Keep reading

Discover more of Yehuda Amichai’s poetry.

Explore all poems

Readers

Reader discussion

Your turn

Shown with your comment.

Never published. Only so we can reach you.

Comments are read before they appear. See our terms.