Dan Lukiv

Now These Are the Names, poetry Dan Lukiv

From Joseph's death to the building of the tabernacle, from slavery to the birth of a nation: This collection of poems covers 145 years of well-known, dramatic history (1657 to 1512 BCE) as described in the 40 chapters of Exodus. // An excerpt, based on chapter 10 // These locusts without / Women's hair, / Men's faces, / And lions' teeth- // Without golden crowns / And "iron breastplates"- // Without horse-legs / And scorpion-tails- // These locusts, / Without king or / Commander, / Riding the roar / Of chariots, / Searching for things green, / For linen, leather, / Even varnish. // These locusts chewed / Their body weight each day, / Until a "stiff west wind" / Sent them off into the / Red Sea, // To drown.