Sunday, December 13, 2009

the jawbone (8)



the jawbone


with the jawbone of an ass ...
i have slain a thousand men.
judges 15:16

angelic visitations are always awkward. &
when the husband isn’t home, who can really fault the
man for needing to be sure his barren wife was not
delusional; that an angel did surely come &
pronounce her pregnant. the cautious, pious man did pray
the angel’s quick return to hear himself the news that his
wife would bear a doughty child who’d set his people free.
the angel obliged. a child was born, a prodigy
bound by oath to never taste strong drink or cut his hair.
with the jawbone of an ass did he smite his foes.
but that mandible proved no match for heifers plowed by
other men or womanly wiles, or the whims of an
almighty, unpredictable & capricious god.

© Joseph McNair;2009

7 comments:

  1. This poem is speaking of the angel visiting Mary to tell her she would bore Jesus and He would save the world. I do see the jawbone in the picture and just with Jesus speaking, he was able to reach the people. With his mouth and his words he was able to convict people and to heal them and save them. His mission here on Earth was to set his people free. Also, in the verse in the beginning, it says that with the jawbone of a donkey, he killed men. He used something like that to kill all these men.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This poem talked about an angel who visited Mary so she can be aware of the son she was about to gave birth to. According to the poem, this son was the son of God who was coming to save the world. Jesus is the savior which will guide the people to understand the word of his father so they can be righteous, and the jawbone is how men will be killed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I do agree with poem. Mary was visited by angel to tell her that she was going to give birth to the savior of this world. That he was going to die and give us eternal life if we just believed and followed him in truth and spirit. And I believe the jawbone is the people that don’t believe and will one day will die spiritually because they don’t believe in God lord and savior. And Samson was not strong because of his hair when he cut his hair his strength was taken away because of his disobedience towards God. And that is the same way with us if we do not listen to God and follow his commandments he will close doors that are of great opportunities.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This poem is describing the biblical story of Mary and the birth of jesus. An angel comes to announce to her that she is expecting a child. The husband of Mary prays that this son would change the way his people lived and their beliefs. Jesus came to earth and saved many people, yet killed many foes. I do see the picture of a jawbone. I guess the jawbone describes jesus mouth and how powerful his words were in changing the world.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Actually after reading the poem it is actually talking about Samson. I am pretty sure since his mother was also visited by angels and it was Samson the one who took the jawbone of an ass and killed a bunch of Filistines i hope i am spelling it correctly but as far as my recollection that is the person with the jawbone.

    ReplyDelete
  6. In think ink blot, I do see the jawbone and from reading this poem, I do understand it is making the reference to Mary and Jesus. I think the jawbone represents the angel words when he announced that Mary was indeed pregnant with Jesus.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It was Samson who wielded the jawbone. His mother was visited by an angel hundreds of years before Jesus was born. Some of you don't know the difference between Jesus of nazareth and Samson the Nazarite. Kudos to Elwin!

    ReplyDelete