XXVI
LILY

Lily of the valley of pain, sprinkled
with the sweat and tears of Adam;
white lily among the thistles, like a cup
you collect the dew from heaven
and convert it into wine for us. Longing
to be the mother of God, Humanity wanted
you to be born on earth, in the same way that           Genesis 30:1.
Rachel pleaded with Jacob, shouting loudly:
“Give me a child from you, or else I shall die!”
And becoming a mother, Rachel died happily,           Genesis 35:18 etc.
giving thanks to heaven after giving birth
to the child, whose name was Benjamin.
And on the road to Bethlehem Jacob
set up a pillar on Rachel’s tomb so that
the bones of the sacrum which carried
Benjamin would tremble with love
in the dust, upon hearing the echo of
her moans which shook the earth.