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My nails scraped

your shoulders

digging deep

to keep

from falling

over an edge

into an unknown depth

into an abyss

You held my wrists

I did not fall

it was grace

You drank me

kiddush

bless the wine

I was sated

hamotze

bless the bread

all rise

unleavened bread

this sacramental position

this genuflection

this joy

this scream in my throat

this hallelujah

this chorus

this chord

this time

this music

this poem

this place

this hand

this wrist

your hand

this nail

on the tip

of my finger

drew blood

from your body

this tongue

took your soul

and swallowed

rose again

and again

rose

in a garden


it was Pesach

it was Easter

it was matzot

it was mitzvot

it was holy water

it was spirit

it was flesh

it was wine

it was your eyes

it was my breasts

I was falling

I was free

You held my wrists

on my bed

we thirsted

and bled

and healed

and hungered

no more

more more

O Lord, O prophets

this I freely confess

there is no hell

that could erase

this moment

from my skin

there is no perfume

in heaven

more sweet

than the screams

of this communion

All the angels

have fallen

into my arms

You grabbed my wrists

showed me

I have wings

showed me

I was never

in danger

of falling


O what a prophet

I leave the door

open for you

on this night

we dip thrice

on this night

taste the bitter

the salt

the sweet

the egg

the fish

the honey

Why is this night different

on this night

we recline

on this night

we roll back the rock

and rise

again and again

on this night

we wait for Elijah

for a great coming

and that can be

a commandment

a mitzvah

Shehekianu

Revelations

not a sin

Joy at ends with

no beginnings

and love that

ever is so

and eternally does

Amen Amen Amen

a kiss of peace

a cathedral

a synagogue

a bed

Hail Mary

Our Father

hallowed

Dayenu

Alenu

Adonolam

Adonoi


O Prophet, O Goddess

all these symbols

all these words

rush rivers

beneath the skin

on my arms

fall in rings

from my nape

O Lord, I cannot believe

in eternity

more than

when you

held me

for a moment

after we ate

all the icons.

The Last Supper/The First Seder

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