Leviticus Again

Leviticus Again

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   “And his issue is unclean,” 15:3

He is human and so will be humbled
He is flesh and so will fail
He is bone and so will be broken
He is blood and so will bleed
He has cheated and so will be changed
He has deceived and so will be drained
He has mocked and so will be muddied
He is hollow and so will howl
He has sullied and so will sadden
He is nothing and so will be nought
He is pain and so will perish
He is emission and so will be missed
He is water and so will weep
He is cavernous and so will cry
He is dross and so will disgust
He is a carcass and so will be cast
He has soured and so will stink
He is rank and so will retch
He is a worm and so will writhe
He is corruption and will be betrayed
He came forth, and so he will fade

      Palestine, sixth century CE
      (translated from the Hebrew by Peter Cole)

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