The Mixed Shall Inherit the Earth

From "A Book of Lamentations"

for Jordan (and let us cross
the river that bears her name)

Beautiful baby.
In your eyes I see
our history. Sweet
victory: over laws once
passed from fear we’d
come to be, over the
prophets’ voices raised
to prevent us. Still
heaven widened its
windows to send us.
We are destiny.

For those laws
and those prophets
passed away. While you
remain beautiful
baby.

Beautiful baby.
Born, like me,
on the free shore past
the Red Sea. Promised
land still ahead. Square
your shoulders and shake
your head for all those
who never knew. Who just
couldn’t see

how it looks when you mix
milk and honey.

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Originally published in A Book of Lamentations