Chukat-Balak 鈥� Statute-Empty (Numbers 19:1-25:9)

I鈥檓 a rule follower.
So when the Book says

find an unblemished red cow
that鈥檚 all I want to do.

I鈥檇 stop short of the statute
that says I have to slaughter it

so I guess my promises are
somewhat empty.

When Balak came to
try to curse us all, only blessings

fell from his mouth. And now
every morning I

sing Who is like You.
Actually, it鈥檚 usually only

on Sundays, so again I salute
the emptiness of my words.

Miriam, who was healed
just three portions ago, dies.

We remember, you can be healed
and die anyway.

I can鈥檛 imagine hitting a rock
in the age of running water.

My faucet is touchless so
I wave my hand over it like

Moses鈥� staff, never in anger,
and the river comes. I apply

ice and psyllium husk as is
the custom of my day.

I may have already reached
my promised land.

Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 29 books including 鈥淕od Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.鈥� Visit him at