Earthshine Book

My favorite poem from this book:

Dayenu

Dayenu (Hebrew): "it would have been enough." The refrain from a Passover litany thanking God for the blessings bestowed upon the Jews during their forty-year wanderings in the desert following the flight from Egypt.

Had he rescued the nightingales from the floods
and not shrouded the planets in secrecy,
Dayenu.

Had he shrouded the planets in mystery
but not enticed us with the light that shines from them,
Dayenu.

Had he enticed us with the light that shines from the planets
but not created the plaqueflower to console us in winter,
Dayenu.

Had he allowed us to dream on the banks of the river
but not given us the nostrils with which to remember,
Dayenu.

Had he provided us with the olfactory joy of memory
but not made the breasts of women so terribly beautiful,
Dayenu.

Had he made the breasts of women delicate as raspberries
but not given us the lips with which to honor them,
Dayenu.

Had he created the mouth as a tribute to women
but not allowed us to prosper in loneliness,
Dayenu.

Had he allowed us to thrive in our loneliness
but not created the darkness to sleep with us,
Dayenu.

Had he fashioned the darkness for our spouses
but not provided us with dust for a mirror,
Dayenu.

Had he given us the dust as our heritage
but not taught the earthworm to weave in our ruins,
Dayenu.

Had he instructed the earthworm to help us breathe again
but not permitted us to rise and praise the morning,
Dayenu.

Had he allowed us to rise into the white arms of emptiness
but not to rely on our fathers for mercy,
Dayenu.

Had he asked us to rely on the benevolence of misers
but not lifted the mist to uncover the dandelions,
Dayenu.

Had he lifted the mist to reveal the dandelion
but not taught us to sing without speaking,
Dayenu.

Had he allowed us to sing without movement
but not created the silence in which to practice our music,
Dayenu.

Oh, it would have been enough, Lord.
Dayenu, Dayenu.

And for years.