He was favoured
he had gifts
he had dreams
he knew life
was not always
as it seems
as he told
his less-favoured
brothers
eleven ears of corn
bow to one
eleven stars in sky
bow to one
brothers get the
message
think Joe is a cad
since he already had
the favour of their
dad
plus a gaudy,
multi-coloured coat
which he never took
off
they take him out to
the sticks
strip the coat from
his back
sell him off as a
slave
to some well-to-do
hicks
the Ish-mael-ites
their
much-less-favoured cousins
twice removed
panic ensued
killed a goat
stained the coat
showed their dad
made him sad
Joe is dead
or so they said
Pot-i-phar
is Joe’s new czar
earns P’s favour
Right-hand man
and brand new flavour
for P's lonely wife
‘Mrs. Potiphar, are
you trying to seduce me?’
Joe refuses
she accuses
him of rape
takes his robe
gets his goat
slow boat
to prison for Joe
dreams come in bits
Joe interprets
for butler, baker,
candlestick maker
baker is toast
butler is host
with the most
once again
says he’ll remember
Joe
to Pharaoh
and he does
Two
Years
Later
when Raoh is having dreams
wreaking havoc with
his psyche
tearing apart at the
seams
calls down to Joe
who’s ready to go
and put on a show
for ol’ Phay-Raoh
the dreams are in
sevens
instead of elevens
but corn is at the
heart
and cows are at the
start
and feast and famine
both play their part
seven years of heaven
then seven of dread
if they don’t play
wisely
they’ll soon be dead
Joe tells Raoh
the way to go
and Raoh’s tension
decreased
makes Joe the toast
of the town
and gathers what’s
needed
to survive the famine
during the feast
whilst Joe’s bro’s
are stuck back home
in Canaan
the family caught in
the famine
hears that there’s
food to spare
in a land oh so fair
so they load up their
truck
and move to Cairo
(Egypt, that is)
plead their case
to their supposedly
dead bro
who’s the only one in
the know
and decides to play
with their heads
takes a cup
hides it in sack
on the back
of baby bro Ben
who doesn’t know when
he’ll become the butt
of the joke
Joe accuses him of
stealing
throws him in the can
brothers’ senses are
reeling
unaware of Joe’s plan
fall to their knees
raise their heads to
the skies
with their cries and
pleas
to this dead brother
to save another
of their kin
not knowing that it’s
his kin as well
Joe gets teary not
leery
at their confession
and drops the lark
and tells his bro’s
the whole plan
from the start
family reunion
teary communion
in foreign land
which would one day
be their land
of slavery
but for now they call
dad
to join them
with a big surprise
awaiting him
his favourite son
reappears
amidst tears within
and before his very
eyes
Jake dies
family mourns
Joe grows old
asks to go home
to Canaan
gives instructions
about his bones
that his bro’s once
left for dead
so long ago
they wonder if Joe
still holds a grudge
they beg his forgiveness
which makes Joe laugh
because he had
already
forgiven them
‘What you intended
for harm
God used
to hone
and hallow
and eventually heal...
forgiveness is REAL’
though not always
what we feel
like giving
(14 September 2014)
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