Carolina Singerman: A New Poem

THE DAY JOSEPH HELD THE BABY

I HAD GONE TO CHURCH
TO SEE THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
WHEN I WAS MET AT THE DOOR
BY THE DIRECTOR

CAN YOU BE JOSEPH
JOSEPH IS SICK

WHAT ARE MY LINES
AND WHAT DO I DO

YOU HAVE NO LINES
JUST STAND AROUND
LOOKING HOLY

IT’S A STRETCH I SAID
BUT I’LL GIVE IT A SHOT

NOW I’VE BEEN A SHEPHERD
WRAPPED IN SHEETS
TENDING COTTON COVERED LAMBS

I’VE BEEN A MAGI
IN A BATHROBE

I’VE BEEN AN ANGEL WITH WINGS
MONITORING CHERUBS
SO THEY WON'T FIGHT

BUT JOSEPH
I’VE NEVER HAD THE HONOR

SO ON THE STAGE WE WENT
MY EIGHT YEAR OLD BRIDE
AND HER EIGHTY FIVE
YEAR OLD HUSBAND

WHAT A LOVELY PAIR

SHE WAS HOLDING THE BABY DOLL
SOMETIMES SHE'D PUT IT IN THE CRIB
THEN SHE SAID TO ME
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HOLD THE BABY
 

I WAS SET BACK
FOR AN INSTANT

IN ALL MY YEARS
I’VE NEVER SEEN JOSEPH
HOLD THE BABY

IT WAS ONLY A DOLL
BUT WHEN I HELD IT
I FELT TRANSFORMED
INTO A BETTER PERSON

SO THAT WHEN SHE ASKED FOR IT BACK
I DID
BUT WITH RELUCTANCE

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THE DOLL SMILED AT ME
BUT IT DIDN’T HAPPEN
BUT THERE WAS A WARM SPOT
IN MY HEART
I WON'T SOON FORGET

FRANK A VOLLMER