Dan Lukiv

The Word of Jehovah That Came to Micah, poetry Dan Lukiv

An excerpt, a poem based on chapter 5 of Micah // Seven shepherds? / Count them, eight / Dukes. Each sheep, / They call out, by name, // Each day, as these ones / Eat and rest and play in / Grassy pastures, near / Streams. See their rods, // Their courage, / Dangerous to wolves / And beasts with teeth, / Even claws, // Watch! A bruised hip, / Cut knee. "Here, my / Cherished little one, / Let me pour this oil // Upon your wound." / See, another sheep, / Sick; he holds it firmly, / Pours a remedy of juice // Into the weakened crea- / Ture's mouth, from a / Well-used skin bottle: / "There, my little one, // The bad taste will make / You well." And, there, / A sheep too weak to stand; / He carries the limp // One, wrapped in a blanket / Made from its brothers' / Own wool: "Let me show / You love, my darling // Little one. It will make you / Strong." And the sheep / Love their eight dukes, / Their princes, // Their shepherds with staffs / That attack strong ones of / The thick forest who wish / Them harm.