Jacob and Prospero

[jisbell00]

Jacob and Prospero

for Thubten Jigme Norbu


When Jacob was an old man, all his sons
came in with talk of Joseph. It is true,
time ties us to the world. There was a day
our teacher sat beside me and my pride
ebbed as I thought how Buddhists recommend
to sit by the most troubled in the room.

So, Jacob had his birthright. We might spend
six years or seven waiting on the way
to fatherhood; an angel in the gloom
might touch our thigh. The teacher at our side
might see the boy in us. A story runs
sometimes in rewind, that is nothing new.

The storm has passed, and Prospero has come
to think of Milan. He has drowned his book.
He’s older now. The world he once mistook,
he reads now like his finger or his thumb.


You dealt the cards, then played each hand.
You spun the wheel, then placed each bet.
This is a game that You command.
I play, and I’m not beaten yet.
 

[CalebPerry]

My first impression: I like it. It's a poem that breaths, that is accessible, that feels comfortable, that feels somehow profound. I know of all these characters, but I don't know their stories -- once again, a sad result of my ignorance of the classics. I think this is a good one. Later, when I get up, I'll look up their stories.

[jisbell00]

Hi Caleb,

And thank you for the vote of confidence! I'm always striving to be limpid, and sometimes I manage it better than other times.

S1-S2 are all about Jacob's Bible story, including the angel who touches his thigh to defeat him after wrestling him all night. Sort of mixed in with that is Thubten Jigme Norbu, whom I knew a little - the Dalai Lama's older brother. Hence, the Buddhism. Jacob's sons come in to tell him their brother Joseph is dead. But really, they've just sold him into slavery.

S3 is Prospero, hero of Shakespeare's The Tempest, who ends up back on the throne of Milan after drowning his book of magic five fathoms deep. And S4 is just me and God again. I feel as though the various pieces somehow fit together - all about old men, I guess, who've been through some things.

Cheers,
John

[CalebPerry]

I did know that the first characters were from the Bible, and Prospero was from Shakespeare, but that was all I knew. Now, if Society's religions were based on the Archie comics or the Superman comics, or on the writing of various diet doctors, I'd be able to reference the classics in all of my poems.

[jisbell00]

Hi Caleb,

That would be a great way to reference the classics!

Cheers,
John

[Macavity]

I play, and I'm not drowning yet

Perhaps a thread to the Tempest John? Interesting one about the Buddhist sitting next to troubled folk (nice use of ebbed there). The angel touching a thigh was a surprising intimacy. Some show rather than say 'he's older now' ? Still thinking on this one John, but thought I'd share some dawning thoughts.

[jisbell00]

Hi Phil,

You've given me some tweaks to think about! I like the b alliteration with beaten, but I'm nto wedded to it. And yes, he's older now is a bit flat.

The angel touching the thigh is a bit surprising, but thats' exactly what happens inthe OT after the night of wrestling Jacob.

So the Dalai Lama's brother did come over and sit next to me, which I thought was cool until I remembered this saying! These days I'm nto realyl sure what to make of it. he likely just wanted to sit, he was an older chap.

Cheers,
John

[Macavity]

Yes, the incidence with the Buddhist was most resonant, especially in the context and through the personal perspective.

[jisbell00]

It does add a little flavor, doesn’t it?

Cheers,
John