This Is Where We Forgot – A poem for Parsha Noach

From these, the islands of the nations separated in their lands, each one to his language, according to their families, in their nations. ~ Genesis 10:5

This is where the one family
forgets they’re related and
the seeds of all wars are sown.

This is where our tongues began
to say the same things but
with different words.

This is where the idea of
needing a passport to move from
one plot of dirt to another began.

This is where we forgot the
pain of our enemies’ funerals
is the same as ours.

This is where people moved
away from each other
instead of closer.

This is probably where Someone
decided we didn’t deserve to
live for hundreds of years.

This is still the beginning
and it felt like the end.
So many babies came along

and it became impossible to
know them all. So we forgot to try.
This is where we forgot there

ever was a garden.

Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 27 books including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.”