O General, O Honeybee
put down your weapons and follow me
the war is over and you have won
but now the battle has just begun

One for the tent peg I put in his head
and two for the violence that happens in bed
and three for the children that you’ll never have
and four for the girl that you were

900 chariots
10,000 men
and all that I wanted
was to see you again
Sisera’s mother
and Sisera’s slaves
and a glass of warm milk
on Sisera’s grave.

Sometimes I live in the desert
and sometimes I live by the sea
and sometimes I look in the mirror
and I can’t stand the face that I see

And so when the enemy came to my door
and begged me to take him inside
part of me wanted to save him
as I drew the curtain aside.

An ancient story of beauty, violence, and milk. A song in Yael’s voice, to Deborah (with cameos by Deborah and Sisera’s mother) (Judges 4-5).