Dreamy boy Joseph

Haiku of family strife

Dreamy boy Joseph,

 

flash coat setting him apart,

 

from jealous brothers.

 

They had good reason

 

to hate him. The favourite

 

dobbed his brothers in.

 

Israel sent him

 

to look in on his brothers;

 

found them near Dothan.

 

They saw him coming,

 

conspired to kill the dreamer;

 

blame wild animals.

 

Reuben intercedes.

 

Don’t kill; throw him in this pit.

 

That is what they did.

 

They stripped his flash robe

 

and put it aside. Could prove

 

useful, later on.

 

Some traders came by.

 

Better that we sell, not kill;

 

that is what they did.

 

Twenty silver coins,

 

the price of their brother; sold,

 

and bound for Egypt

 

 

© Ken Rookes 2023

 

Who's first?

Haiku of sibling rivalry

Rebeckah’s pregnant!

After all these years, Isaac’s

prayers have been answered!

Twins! The two children

fight it out within the womb.

Rebeckah’s anxious.

They are two nations,

says the Lord. The elder one

will serve the younger.

A time to be born.

The first boy was red, hairy.

They named him Esau.

The second emerged,

hand upon his brother’s heel.

They named him Jacob.

Esau the hunter,

loved by his dad; Jake, quiet

loved by Rebeckah.

Let me have some stew,

said Esau. Sure, said Jacob;

Sell me your birthright.

I’m starving to death,

what’s the use of my birthright?

Swear to me! I swear.

Trading his birthright

Esau ate the stew with bread,

and went on his way.

Short term benefit

or some vague future increase;

what would be my choice?

© Ken Rookes 2023