<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">Jacob wrestling with the ange<b class="">l</b></div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">A man is screaming on the sidewalk</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">near the intersection of Pulaski and Belle Plaine.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">We pass each other like ghosts</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">who do not see each other’s pain.</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">And I hold still as the bottom of the ocean,</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">not wanting the ripples of fear in his heart</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">to interfere with the fear in mine.</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">I wonder if he’s the same man I heard screaming,</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">“fucking cunt”one spring night not far from there--</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">getting louder the more the world ignored him.</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">How dare he demand the attention</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">of the innocents?</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">We spoke today in church of Jacob</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">Who’d not take no for answer, even with his hip</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">out of joint and wobbling, </div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">he held the angel firm and by the throat and hissed,</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">“You will bless me.</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">I will have what’s mine.”</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">How dare he address an angel with authority.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">We are each of us given a few crusts of bread, water,</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">love if we’re lucky.</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">Jacob with 2 wives and 12 children,</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">should have been satisfied. </div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">But instead, he demanded what we all</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">know better than to ask for.</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">He limped away with the blessing he took,</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">perhaps frightened that even angels</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">bowed with fear at his demands.</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">What of the rest of us who walk silently down midday streets,</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">protected with sunscreen and headphones?</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">We, the weak, are millions strong.</div><p class="gmail-Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;"> </p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">Those many who’d rather walk through the darkness, </div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">who'd rather ford the stream</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">than know the terror of an angel’s iron grip.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class="">Who’s coming to give us our blessing?</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Simone Denny</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; border: none;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-style: italic; white-space: pre;"> </span></div></body></html>