pictures from afar

pictures from afar
on the screen
of my trekking son
and his old buddy
friends since birth

at the far reaches
of the earth

I chose Shiloh
because
felt more spacious
than other yishuvim

not strangled by fences
seemed so large

but compared to
the wilderness
they're wandering through

dwarfs
Shiloh
Shomron
and all of Israel

we have such
a small land

why do
our enemies
and our "friends"
insist
we give it away?

remember
our test--
to pass
is to ignore
bad advice
and only do
what will make us
strong, secure
and with G-d