Far From Perfect – A poem for Parsha Lech Lecha

And Abram said to Sarai, “Here is your handmaid in your hand; do to her that which is proper in your eyes.” And Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from before her. ~ Genesis 16:6

I
We didn’t treat them well,
from the very beginning –

This mother of all Ishmaelites.
Nothing is excused, but

the seeds of this divide
go back to her, before

her name became holy.
The lesson here is we are related

to our greatest enemy.
Makes it awkward at the barbecues

and is why we kept sending
food, medicine and electricity.

You may always argue with your family
but they are still family.

…and God appeared to Abram, and He said to him, “I am the Almighty God; walk before Me and be perfect. ~ Genesis 17:1

II
God tells Abram to be perfect.
What a standard to have to live up to.

I never got the letter hey in my name
thanks to my parents’ intuition.

That’s why whenever someone calls to me
it’s a four-letter word.

I couldn’t be further from perfect.
I can’t even see perfect

in the distance.

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