IN THE HEBREW BIBLE
WHEN GOD SAYS
LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE
THE AUTHOR
USES THE HEBREW WORD
TSELEM
WHICH MEANS COPY
CLOSE BUT NOT THE ORIGINAL
ECHOES OF PSALM EIGHT
YOU HAVE MADE HIM LITTLE LESS
THAN A GOD
HE HAS GIVEN YOU A WORLD
TO RUN
IN A GODLIKE MANNER
TO DO OTHERWISE
IS TO MISS THE MARK
TO SIN
NO HUMAN BEING
IS UNIMPORTANT
GOD THOUGHT HE WAS SO IMPORTANT
HE CREATED THE UNIVERSE
ALL THAT’S IN IT FOR HIM
HOW CAN WE TREAT HIM
AS IF HE WERE UNIMPORTANT
WHEN GOD GAVE HIM DOMINION
OVER THE MOON
THE STARS
IN THE EARLY STORIES
IN THE BIBLE
GOD SEEMS TO BE A LEARNING PARENT
AS WHEN
A MOTHER AT CHRISTMAS TIME
TELLS HER CHILDREN
DO NOT LOOK FOR PRESENTS IN MY BEDROOM
YAHWEH
PLANTS A TREE IN THE GARDEN
A TREE THAT KNOWS EVERYTHING
GOOD AND BAD
THE FRUIT OF THE TREE IS FORBIDDEN
WE KNOW THE RESULT
BEFORE THE FALL MAN WAS WITHOUT GUILE
BUT WAS THERE LOVE ON ADAM’S PART
NO PAIN ON ADAM’S PART
NO AGONY OR ECSTASY ON ADAMS PART
MAYBE GOD IN HIS WISDOM
WANTED REAL LOVE
I SPEAK FOOLISHLY NOW
MAYBE
HE WANTED ADAM TO FAIL
SO THAT HIS LOVE
WOULD BE GENUINE
FREELY GIVEN
ADAM’S FALL
BROUGHT GREAT EVIL
TO THE WORLD
BUT IT ALSO WAS A FELIX CULPA
A HAPPY FAULT
THAT BROUGHT A SAVIOR
MAN
BECAUSE HE WAS LITTLE LESS THAN AN ANGEL
COULD HATE GOD GREATLY
AND SIN DEEPLY
MAN
BECAUSE HE WAS LITTLE LESS THAN AN ANGEL
COULD LOVE GOD GREATLY
AND ACT MAGNIFICENTLY
FREE WILL GOD GAVE US
HE HAS PAID THE PRICE
AS A MOTHER
WHO FINDS THE PRESENTS UNWRAPPED
THE ANTICIPATED JOY GONE
BUT WE ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE
HE LOVES US TO THE POINT OF DEATH
FRANK A VOLLMER
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