Joseph Dreaming

There was a shepherd in the field
and two angels smoothing the air
around him. He did not see this--
the heavenly escorts, the God-mark
on his forehead, but at night
his body shook with the electric colors
of dreams, all variations
on one theme-- he is the moon
and the mountains curl from his light,
he is the rain and the earth
opens like a mouth to receive him,
he is a crow and the trees
extend their branches, their fruit.

This talent for sleeping took him
all the way to Pharaoh.
The court scientists propped him on a couch
and watched him nod off at will,
measuring his movement, timing
his shaking. He was their compass.
They did not understand
why his body turned, but they knew
it pointed the way
to something fantastic.

Jamie Wasserman

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