Sacrificial Firstborn

A poem of mine from 1969 has been published online at Poets on Adoption.

Sacrifical Firstborn

Firstborn

first begotten one

firstborn of spirit

firstborn of flesh

child that opened my womb

Only one is called

firstborn of many

brethren in spirit

others

firstborn of many

in flesh

And others still,

like the child of Arsinoe,

who died while giving birth to

her firstborn child,

are first and only.

Your firstfruits shall be holy,

saith the Lord,

and shall be dedicated unto me

as a special offering

lamb of God

sacrificial lamb

sacrificed in spirit

scarified in flesh

…and God gave his only begotten son

son born of unwed mother

so that others…

…and God spoke to the Jews

and told them

to sacrifice

their firstborns no more

but God also asked

that atonement be made

so she shall be clean.

and netherworld demons

and peddlers of flesh

in the black-gray

underworld marketplace

seek out

and offer false promises

for a coveted

firstborn child

…and on the 31^st day

firstborn sons become

legally

and ritually

The Firstborn.

But sons (like mine)

who follow

in the wake

of ghostly Firstborns

are forever displaced

as firstborn heirs.

Lamb of God

silent sacrificial lamb

sacrificed in spirit

special offering to God

seeking forgiveness

for the sin of your birth

yet taken by God

as a sacrifice in flesh

July, 1998