Jerusalem

The title of the poem “Jerusalem” is loaded with historical significance. The city, located in the center of the Middle East, is an important hub of religious, economic, and political activity and conflict. Nye tells an interviewer that her father believed that, left to themselves, the different religions would have worked out their differences, but powerful factions perpetuated war and exploited religious differences to gain access to Israel’s economic and political power. In “Jerusalem,” Nye explores the tension between the impulse to engage in violence and her desire that participants “get over” their agendas and grievances. Israel becomes not only a literal setting for a real anecdote involving her father, but it also becomes an emblem for the site of human struggle in general.

Geographically, Jerusalem is located at a major confluence of Africa, Asia, and Europe, with the Mediterranean Sea on one side and an impassible desert on the other. Since ancient times, factions have warred over control of the land because of its geographical importance. Anyone who controls this land has greater access to trade routes and subsequent economic power.

Additionally, three major religions believe the city is the site of religious events central to their faith.

For Christians, the city is significant because believers hold that it is the place where Jesus was crucified and resurrected. This site is the Holy Sepulcher, which attracts Christian pilgrims from all over the world.

For Jewish people, the city of Jerusalem is the site of the first temples built by their ancestors. Though the original temples were destroyed, the walls remain, including the Western Wall, which Jews believe contain the foundation stone, the stone from which the world was originally created. Millions of Jewish people come to the wall every year to pray.

Muslims believe that Mohammed traveled to Jerusalem before he died so that he could exit Earth at the site of the Foundation Stone, which is also sacred in the Muslim faith. The Mosque in Jerusalem is considered the third holiest Muslim site, containing the Shrine of the Dome of the Rock. During the holy month of Ramadan, hundreds of thousands of Muslims come to pray at this mosque.

Within Jerusalem itself, which is only 60 miles wide, the epicenter of so much religious activity is concentrated in what is known as the Old City. The Old City houses many religious sites from the three major religions and is divided into four segments, one for Jews, one for Christians, one for Muslims, and one for Armenians (who are predominantly Christian).

Though Nye’s father was not identified as Muslim, he was a cultural Arab. Born and raised in Jerusalem, he saw first-hand the conflicts that played out in his homeland, but he continued to believe in peace. This is the lesson he taught his daughter and what she expresses in her poem “Jerusalem.”