The hunter is here...

 Exodus 12:2020-2021

I will pass through Egypt… and when I see the 

blood, I will pass over you. No destructive 

plague will touch you.

 

Each man is to

they must 

You are to 

The animals you choose must be 

without defect, and you 

Take care of them until 

when all 

must slaughter them at twilight. Then 

they are to take

That same night they are to

Do not 

Do not 

you must

This is how you are to 

We followed the rules and

followed the rules and

followed the rules

we stayed awake

we kept oil in our lamps

we wanted to look back, to

admire the shining, glowing city where

we used to live

we wanted to taste the fruit

to know the pleasure of the juice on 

our chins we believed it but we

also obeyed we walked

away without

weeping to save

each other to live

to know on the third crow

that we did what 

we were told

we painted the lintel and 

stayed inside with our

faces covered and the space

between us carefully measured

We followed the rules but

we were hunted and each night

forced to breathe into the dark 

together in exhaustion from 

following, from fleeing

We followed the rules but

we carried the enemy with us inside

our aching shoulders and cramped

muscles, the bones of our 

feet cracking, heels bloody

We painted the lintels with the blood

and behind them, under them

fell into frightened dreams 

We followed the rules but

I heard him in the dark hours

before any light

pulling his heavy feet up through

crunching breaking snow and 

smashing back to an 

inevitable beat

We followed the rules but

the snow erased the 

blood we left and

the hunter is here

sniffing the door behind which 

I stop my breath

waiting

waiting