In Light of Genesis
IN LIGHT OF GENESIS, poems by Pamela White Hadas. Jewish Poetry Series/Jewish Publication Society, paperback, $6.95.
One of 44 the four innaugural volumes of the Jewish Poetry Series, this book by award-winning poet Hadas contains the remarkable “autobiography” of Lilith, “The Passion of Lilith/’ which originally appeared in LILITH #2. The other three poems in the book are “The Departure and Voices of Sarah,” “The Passion of Rahel Varnhagen,” and “Woman with Quasar.” While each of the poems evokes its own time and place, the personae share a questioning attitude toward the choices women make. And the first three, at least, are trying also to find out where Jewishness and femaleness intersect.