Jacob wrestling with the angel - Simone Denny

[Larry Robinson]

Jacob wrestling with the angel
 
A man is screaming on the sidewalk
near the intersection of Pulaski and Belle Plaine.
We pass each other like ghosts
who do not see each other’s pain.
 
And I hold still as the bottom of the ocean,
not wanting the ripples of fear in his heart
to interfere with the fear in mine.
 
I wonder if he’s the same man I heard screaming,
“fucking cunt”one spring night not far from there--
getting louder the more the world ignored him.
 
How dare he demand the attention
of the innocents?
 
We spoke today in church of Jacob
 
Who’d not take no for answer, even with his hip
out of joint and wobbling, 
he held the angel firm and by the throat and hissed,
“You will bless me.
 
I will have what’s mine.”
How dare he address an angel with authority.
We are each of us given a few crusts of bread, water,
love if we’re lucky.
 
Jacob with 2 wives and 12 children,
should have been satisfied. 
But instead, he demanded what we all
know better than to ask for.
 
He limped away with the blessing he took,
perhaps frightened that even angels
bowed with fear at his demands.
 
What of the rest of us who walk silently down midday streets,
protected with sunscreen and headphones?
We, the weak, are millions strong.
 
Those many who’d rather walk through the darkness, 
who'd rather ford the stream
than know the terror of an angel’s iron grip.
Who’s coming to give us our blessing?

	- Simone Denny
	
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sonic.net/pipermail/poetrylovers/attachments/20180628/60160187/attachment.html>