WEBVTT

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This is a poem called
"The Promised Land."

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I guess, the two countries
that I expect a lot out of

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are two countries
that are founded

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according to principles.

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America being one which has
a very idealistic founding

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documents.

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And Israel being the other
and I'm involved in that.

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My mother has been
an ardent Zionist.

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And we've had all kinds of
arguments over the years.

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And this comes out of that.

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The difference between the
actual country and the country,

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the ideal country.

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The Promised Land.

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The land of Israel
my mother loves

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gets by without the
luxury of existence

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and still wins followers.

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Though it can't be found on
the map West of Jordan or South

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of Lebanon.

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Though what can be found
bears the same name,

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making for confusion.

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Not the land I fought
her about for years

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but the one untarnished
by the smoke of history.

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Where no one informs the
people of Hebron or Jericho

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they're squatting on
property that isn't theirs.

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Or every settler can
remember wandering.

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The dinners I spoil with
shouting could have been saved.

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Both of us lingering
quietly in our chairs.

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If I guess the truth
that now is obvious

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that she wasn't lavishing
all her love on the country

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that doesn't deserve
so rich a gift.

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But on the one that does.

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The one not there.

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Convinced supplies
could reach its borders.

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Convinced they might
be crossing even now

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into the land of the
righteous and merciful

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that the prophet spoke of
in their hopeful moods.

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That was loved by the red
eyed rabbis of Galicia who

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studied every word of
the Book and prayed

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to get one thread of
the meaning right.

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The promised land where the
great and small hurry to school

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and the wise are waiting.