2001/book

I have a Bible
story book
my mother got
as a child,
for being best
at her lessons.
I think it’s
where I first
learned of
Joseph’s coat
of many colors,
which so captured
my imagination
that in 7th grade
when I had a corduroy
jacket with a stripe
of every color,
I thought of it
as that.
I loved that coat,
and later in the first
place I lived alone,
the carpet with
the same stripes
made me just
as happy.
There’s a sense
of abundance
in that much
color.

Daniel was in
the book too,
but didn’t speak
to me much.
I liked the story
of Samson & Delilah,
and wore long hair
my whole life
as power.

I liked the one
about King Solomon
and the baby nearly cut
in half.
I knew then that
wisdom was what
I wanted most.
That and a brightly
colored coat.

1/30/01