Liturgy for Lilith

by Cosi Fabian, z"l

As we enter a new year in which our Lilith’s Fire Circle returns, I wanted to honor the work of poet and mythologist Cosi Fabian, who is no longer with us in this realm.

Responsa:

Liturgy for Lilith

- Cosi Fabian (1991)

I am Lilith, Grandmother of Mary Magdalene

I am Lilith, whose sexual fire was too hot for God.

I am Lilith, the First Woman, who chose the rage of exile over the cancer of servitude.

I am Lilith, Mother to the mother-less.

I am Lilith, whose blood covers the moon.

I am Lilith, standing on owl’s claws at a woman’s crossroads.

I am Lilith, the Whore in the gateway of the Temple.

I am Lilith, whose serpentine tongue caused Eve to laugh, and pick the apple!

I am Lilith, Revolving Sword of Flame – scorching hypocrisy from truth’s white bones.

I am Lilith, free-moving in the Wilderness.

I am Lilith, spirit of night and air.

I am Lilith, in whose dark caves transgressors find sanctuary.

I am Salome.

I am Morgan le Faye.

I am the Queen of Shayba –

My hair is black, and I am ‘dark but comely’,

(Solomon sang my song!).

My hair is red and my skin, ivory.

I am Eve’s big sister.

I am Lilith, Mother to the motherless.

I am Lilith, whose sexual fire was too hot for God.

I am Lilith, living in the Shadow.

Waiting. For you.

I believe Fabian’s work, which ranges from poetry to playwriting, provides us with exciting new images of Lilith and of sacred sexuality… gives us Lilith in a new, strongly feminist light. She portrays Lilith as bold, proud, openly sexual, irreverent, enlightened, righteously rageful at times and unquestionably empowered—adjectives that also happen to apply to her.

Excerpted from Lilith’s Fire: Reclaiming our Sacred Lifeforce, Grenn-Scott, 2000