Fifth Day Leviathan Poem by gershon hepner

On the fifth day, when God made
a creature called Leviathan,
the angels gathered to dissuade
Him from His plan of making Man
before the Sabbath on day six.
Though God thought Man to be the best
of all his creatures, politics
caused angels with him to contest;
they feared he’d be a mightier beast
than one God plays with and no hooks
can pull. God promised Man would feast
upon the creature’s flesh, de luxe
entrée that follows the hors d’oeuvres
for Man on Judgment Day prepared.
The angels will be told to serve
this recipe to men who’re spared
on Judgment Day, those men He made
in His own image, like an icon,
as is well known––we have replayed
the words He spoke without his mike on!
God valued Man above all price,
like Woman vaunted for her valor,
on earth man’s piece of paradise.
More precious than rare pearls whose pallor
is whiteness of a woman’s thighs,
whose lips than rubies are far redder,
the fire warming man when ice
is in his soul to love and bed her.

Far greater than Leviathan
would be the twosome God created,
sticking closely to His plan
although the angels weren’t elated,
preparing for His favorite twosome
a feast not à la carte, the menu
containing victuals very toothsome,
in paradise, the dining venue.

Male and female He created,
chimera, XY, XX,
flesh joined to one when they both mated,
destined for repeated sex.
“Let us make them thus, ” God said,
to the angels, who demurred;
though this primate was biped,
their own image they preferred.
Last thing that God ever made,
on the sixth day, Sabbath eve,
was the Man whom angels prayed
God would never thus conceive.
Greater than Leviathan,
created early on day five,
than God lesser only, Man,
angels’ rival, came alive.
Only Man by God was made
without help from God’s assistants––
angels somewhat renegade
in their anti-Man resistance.

Now of beings he alone
is like God whom he resembles;
Wonder, had He then had known
Man alone of beasts dissembles
would He then perhaps have taken
account of veto to His plan,
voice by angels, so mistaken
ever to have messed with Man?
Hard to tell, the Good Book doesn’t
make this point explicit, so
to speculate on this we mustn’t;
truth is what we’ll never know.
Big lacunas in God’s knowledge
led to Man’s creation––tale
oft suppressed in Bible college––
those who would repeat it fail.


2/15/04,5/24/06,3/15/07