Lights Out

• At 8 pm, after a walking tour about visitors to Jerusalem from Epiphanius (http://www.earlychurch.org.uk/epiphanius.php) through Twain (http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/innocent/iahompag.html) and Melville (http://www.pupress.princeton.edu/titles/6725.html), I walk through the souk towards the Jaffa Gate.
• Clang, a shopkeeper closes the steel doors of his shop. Less light on the straight and narrow street. The stone paving is uneven. Clang, another shop closes. Less light. Three steps up split by two narrow ramps for the passage of a cart. Clang, another door shuts out light. Fifteen paces along the irregular stones. More steps, the narrow ramps a trap for sandals. Clang. Clang. Fifteen paces. Clang. Clang. More steps.
• A shopkeeper invites me to look at the purses and bags in the lone shop still open in this segment. More steps. Here a silversmith is open there a vendor presents ornate copper and ceramic coffee sets. Clang.
• Ahead of me the last twilight and the streetlights of the plaza between the souk and the City gate (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/on-walls.html ) .
• See also http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/love-and-darkness.html and http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/beit-hakerem.html and http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/jerusalem-street-poetry.html

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox

Jerusalem, Isael