Ancient Rift, poetry by Shoshana Vegh at Spillwords.com
Louis Jean François Lagrenée

Ancient Rift

Ancient Rift

written by: Shoshana Vegh

 

After ten barren years
she asks her handmaid
to lie with her husband
and in her heart
she hopes that woman’s son
will grow up as her own
Sarai and Hagar, Avram’s wives
behold what Sarai gives
and Avram takes out of love
until jealousy and fear become too much
and behold, Hagar is pregnant
behold the one who gave and the one who filled with pride
the one who abused and the one who ran away
both mothers to brothers
both Avram’s lovers
and he does not interfere

these two women
how can they be mothers of nations
this ancient rift
from the time she fled
and the time she was divorced
and the bitter blood between them
and Yishmael led Isaac to be bound on the altar
and from the earliest days of Genesis
upper worlds are broken from lower worlds
so painful to behold
so heavy on the heart

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