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Henry Lawson - Joseph’s Dreams and Reuben`s Brethren [A Recital in Six Chapters]
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“And there, unhindered, let them thrive,
        In comfort let them dwell,
Apart and free. My people love
        All shepherds none too well—
But if thou knowest amongst them men
        Of proved activity,
Then make them rulers over all
        My flocks and herds for me.”

They brought five brethren unto him,
        And he was very kind—
Perhaps he looked those brethren through,
        And saw what lay behind.
His head he rested on his hand,
        And smoothed his careworn brow,
He gazed on Israel thoughtfully,
        And asked, “How old art thou?”

And Jacob told him, and was touched.
        He said his days were few
And evil. They had not attained
        To those his father knew.
But Jacob only had himself,
        And no one else, to thank
If Joe had given his grey hairs
        A second graveyard yank.

I think that Pharaoh was a man
        Who always understood,
But was content to stand aside
        If for his people’s good,
And seem not missed the while. He knew
        His merits—and no pride—
And ’twas a grievous day for Jew
        And Gentile when he died.

 

You know the rest of Joseph’s tale,
        And well the poor Egyptians knew—
House agent on the grand old scale,
        He boodled till the land was blue.
He squeezed them tight, and bled them white—
.     .     .     .     .
Until a Pharaoh came in sight
        Who didn’t know him from a crow.

The Patriarchs, right back from Dad
        To where the line begins,
Were great at passing “blessings” on,
        Together with their sins.
Old Noah was about the first—
        Cursed Ham till all was blue,
But ’twas with some effect he cursed,
        And with good reason too.

And when the time had come to pass
        For Jacob to be gone,
He polished up his father’s sins
        And calmly passed them on.
He called his twelve sons round his bed
        (Lest some good might befall),
He called his twelve sons to be blessed,
        And cursed them, one and all

Save Joseph; and the rest had cause
        To curse him ere they got
The English, who have every day
        More cause to damn the lot.
And if they crossed the Red Sea now,
        I guess we’d let them go,
With “Satan hurry Kohenstein”
        And “God speed Ikey Mo!”

And lest my Jewish friends be wroth—
        As they won’t be with me—
I’ll say that there is Jewish blood
        In my posterity.
This verse, I trust, shall profit him
        When he has ceased to grow—
My firstborn, who was known as “Jim”,
        But whose true name is “Joe”.

 

AFTERWORD

I’ve written much that is to blame,
        But I have only sought to show
That hearts of men were just the same
        Some forty centuries ago.
All kindness comes with woman’s love—
        That which she claims is due to her—
Not man! not man! but God above
        Dare judge the wife of Potiphar.

And Jacob shall be ever blind
        To reason and posterity,
In that “fond folly” of mankind
        That is born of impotency.
No parents’ love or parents’ wealth
        Shall ever fairly portioned be,
Faith shall not come, except by stealth,
        Nor justice in one family.

And Joseph proved unto this hour—
        Just what he was in Holy Writ—
A selfish tyrant in his power,
        And, up or down, a hypocrite.
And Joseph still, whate’er befall,
        But gives his place to Benjamin,
And Reuben bears the brunt of all,
        Though Judah does the best he can.

The hearts of men shall never change
        While one man dies and one is born,
We journey yet, though ways seem strange,
        Down into Egypt to buy corn.
Some prosper there, and they forget;
        And some go down, and are forgot;
And Pride and Self betray us yet,
        Till Pharaohs rise that know us not.

But kindliness shall live for aye,
        And, though we well our fate deserve,
Samaritans shall pass that way,
        And kings like Pharaoh rule to serve.
We’re fighting out of Egypt’s track—
        And, ah! the fight is ever grand—
Although, in Canaan or Out Back,
        We never reach the Promised Land.
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