History bakes in the sun,
Ruins from Christ,
Before and after
Lay exposed,
Yet trapped

Behind concrete barriers,
Erected for the safety
Of those outside, but
For the suffocation
Of those behind, the wall
People find ways to smile

And here, I float, in the Dead Sea
Choking on salt, baking in mud
Cleansing myself for purification
Seeking the elimination of imperfection

Yet, in locker rooms, old women undress
And through the folds of sagging *******
The inevitable is reminded