That Men Have Power

Yes, the wickedness of man was great in the earth,

so God made their sons as many as the dust of the earth,

the dirt of the earth,

a covenant in their flesh established

between ‘me and you’ –

by which God meant, between ‘He and he,’

every male among them –

this was only the beginning of what they would do.

 

This was only the beginning of what they would do,

that it would go well with them because of us,

who bore them no children,

who bore them all their children,

fruit of our wombs,

all their mighty men.

 

Two peoples, born of God, shall thus be divided…

 

One who begs you, brothers! do not act so wickedly!

and the same who begs you, behold! let me bring them out to you!

and still, I have two daughters! do with them as you please!

who begs you, only, do nothing to these men.

 

The same who writes,

he seized her and he lay with her

and raped and yes he

 

humbled

 

her.

 

 

And the other, we are writing, too,

were remembered

too,

still we proclaim:

 

Our covenant shall be in her flesh,

Dinah’s flesh,

Eve’s flesh

Rachel’s flesh,

our thick blood,

milk,

our flesh,

 

our flesh.

 

We shall make a covenant, too,

 

and it

shall be        

 

ever

lasting.

 

—

italicized portions, in order of appearance: Genesis 4:9, 6:5, 14:16, 17:13, 17:2, 17:11, 11:5, 12:13, 16:1, 30:20, 10:8, 25:23, 19:8, 34:2, 30:22; 34:3; 2:23; 29:4; 15:18; Isaiah 35:8.