These are the seven species of Israel
we acknowledge along with the
trees they came from –
Wheat
And already the gluten free are offended
by the mere mention of wheat.
For some of us, there’s nothing holier
than bread. But be kind to those whose
stomachs need something different, and
don’t forget to include a checkbox for
vegetarians on your invitations.
Barley
Barley is severe. Barley is the forgotten
step-sister of the grain kingdom.
Barley shows up in soup to surprise us sometimes.
They say, barley is for animals, but to eat it
reminds us we are nothing but mammals
who’ve learned how to sew. The Earth and us
have so much to do with each other.
Grapes
Grapes are fine as is – But crush them
with your feet. :et the resulting mess
sit around for as long as you can tolerate
and the resulting joy you’ll have to pour
in your glasses will oversee every
sacred occasion from the birth of your children
to the creating of a whole new world
every single week. Drink up.
Figs
They say the fig is a fruit but really
it is an infrastructure of flowers, hidden
like we do the best parts of ourselves.
Be true to who you are. The figs will
get you through the desert.
You will bloom.
Pomegranates
How many of you have cracked open
a pomegranate to see if there really are
six hundred and thirteen seeds inside?
One for each of the commandments.
How many of you have cracked yourself open
so the rest of us can taste the sweetness
you keep hidden away?
Olives
The olive trees in Israel are standing.
It is enough to say just that.
Older than every mammal you’ve
ever heard of. The foundation of
miracles and Mediterranean food.
As long as they stand
we stand.
Dates
If you put a seed in the ground
it could take seventy years before
a date will cross your lips.
Welcome to the long haul.
The this is going to be worth it.
The I’m doing this for them because
they did it for me.
This is the fruit for the prince
and princess you bear, for the
king and queen you have become.
Every decade is a gift.
Happy birthday, trees.