Uzzen Sheerah

                           His daughter Sheerah, who built both
Lower & Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen Sheerah

                                 I Chronicles 7:24

  Not enough, just one line—

           I want to clothe Sheerah

           in a story

           give her a face

I want to hear her words.

I want to know the shape of—

the breath of

this place on the map.

I want to walk

the zigzag of roads—

I want to look hard

at materials she used

test their malleability

their strength

                       I mean to ask

                       if she dreamt of settlements,

                       of thresholds—

                       instead I read the line again

                       and again, until I feel at home

                       in Uzzen Sheerah

                       Magic of names—

                                   Uzzen Sheerah

                                   Uzzen Sheerah