Admonition to
Reuben
Chafing the feelings of your dad,
Mad, not your desire to make him.
Whims o’ertake you and you love that
What he has—look at little brother—
Mothers not shared—he’s a great pain
Mainly in his arrogant thoughts—
Brought on dreams his brothers will
Willingly serve him like the moon
Swoons to the sun and you know he
Sees that your father loves him so,
Oh, more than you or your brothers
Smothered not by gifts like he—
Peeled away from the family nest
Just leaving Jacob inconsolable—
Noble, that blasted rubbish of bowing sheaves
Leaves woven into incredible dreams,
Dreams aching that cause all of you
To want to rip him from the world.
Twirling through your mind the things you
Truly love—old Jacob and his
Mistress, and his youngest son.
Fun to throw him to the wolves,
Gloves on so traces are removed—
Loved even by you. Oh Reuben,
When will you release your jealous
Lusts for what your father has and
Mend the truth within your heart?
Start by admitting you love them.
Same as you’ve always loved within,
Thinly disguised from yourself, your
Poor mourning father and his
Listless loves and all that he has.
That’s your fault that you lost Joseph.
Brian Potter
