Leah

The first in what may be a series of poems regarding biblical characters

 

Leah

 

Leah had not thought of marriage.

She’d known Jacob,

her Uncle Isaac’s son,

though he bore Aunt Rebekah’s eyes

and his own ambition,

let alone enough confidence

to wrestle God’s angel.

He was not perfect.

Just ask his brother Esau,

but he was a great catch

whose love belonged to Rachel

her younger sister.

 

When dear Papa,

Jake’s Uncle Laban,

sprung the news that Jacob

would wed Leah first

her heart skipped

and her stomach clenched,

her body knowing

how her sister’s love would turn,

yet dared not refuse her father’s plans.

 

Her father would not wait

for Leah’s own slow-simmering charms

to snare a son-in-law,

would not allow any old maid talk

to spread among the shepherd neighbors,

enjoyed the power

in having his sharp-eyed nephew work for free.

So Leah faced her lot

to share a man’s bed

who thought her second-best.

 

When she bore him children

Reuben, Levi, Simeon, Judah

it was not enough

to gain her lasting favor

in his deep brown eyes.

And when she gave him

Zipah, who bore Gad and Asher,

his crinkling smile did not stay.

Even Leah’s last three,

Issachar, Zebulun

and his only daughter Dinah,

had no chance against the barren Rachel,

ever the apple of his eye.

 

Her kid sister could not bear to disappoint

and would not bear to lose,

spurning Leah’s love

and giving Jacob her own maid Bilhah

to soften his sadness at her empty womb,

claiming Bilhah’s Dan and Naphtali

as her very own.

When at last Rachel bore Joseph,

the game was nearly over,

Jacob’s prayers answered

and Leah’s brood left second best

like their forlorn mother.

 

Joseph got his

many-colored coat

from his doting dad,

along with a swelled head

and the enmity

of the second-stringers.

When Rachel died

while birthing Benjamin

Leah lost her chance

to wring out her bitterness

at playing by the mens’ rules

and at the rivalry’s cost,

lost her chance

to get her sister back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[J. Hampton]

An excellent and important write....

I always had a heart for Leah...
and thought Labon was oppressive for the 7 year amusement show he made of Jacob

it is ironic in event ...that Jacob later on grew desperate for his fathers love & blessing
and lied at his fathers deathbed in jealousy of Josephs favor
yet like Leah....he discovered
after selling his brother leaving him for dead,Josephs imprisonment etc
"what God has for you....is for you"

a very insightful look into Gods lessons for life

Blessssssssssssssssssssssssss

[Bubo]

I remember this story from the bible.........very sad for Leah who never had her husbands love,
I had no idea she bore so many children!
Really enjoyable read and learnt from it..........I hope maybe to read more like this...........
Such sadness in this tale.............great flow and content.

[S. P. Vaporis]

well done sir. new take on a very old story.

[C. Harter Amos]

I like your take on this. You've made Leah and her side of the story much more real to me. For whatever reason, I had never really considered Leah's part in the story of Joseph. This was a well told story and enjoyable to read. Thank you.

[J.P. Bristow]

what can I say that has not been said below...but this was so very well written. The flow-tone and story were masterful.....would be great if you would add an evoca to the work . take care my friend great write...Jules.

[Antony]

David you brought out the human touch to this biblical story, and did it very well. A great lesson of life
Tony

[Gandré]

this was fantastic... I love such a flow of yours! Leah - that is a sad life of a woman.delivers a kind of insight in your cultural background.

[Blue Bard]

Such insightful work into that ancient narrative (one of my favorites by the way). I love the way you portray Leah as something of a victim. This goes against convention and brings a wonderful humanity into the story. I think it best to try and find the corners and seams in a biblical narrative. It helps us avoid heavy handed righteousness. I really enjoyed this read. Don't see enough like it.

[Randall Richard]

outstanding, i am a bit of a bible student myself, you captured so many great details of the biblical account, and added true huimanity, capturing leah's emotions perfectly, this is brilliant, and the last line was absolutely perfect. great stuff.

[PianoandPage]

it's such a sad tale and this poem retold it with a modern tone that really made it live.

excellent!