You have to do a liberation
and you must be lucky, like us
moving away under the sign, the plume
of smoke, a pillar of fire in the night
we got hopelessly stuck

between the army and the dividing sea
we became scared, didn't want to die
and walked on, the water was low
it almost fell dry – ahead, forward
to the other side

At dawn the chariots came
after us, down the steep bank
with horsemen and lancers, elated
to have caught up with us and eager
to murder and rape

but to our amazement the water took them
by surprise, a tidal wave, fast
and higher than ever, engulfed them
Mirjam took the drum
the women danced and sang

Ulu ulu ulu ulu
we live! we live!
we escaped!
after all these years
we did it!

Joseph's bones rattled for joy