Poem February 13, 1978 Issue

"On that night could not the king sleep"

Esther 6:1

Margaret Tsuda

Wakeful at a small inconvenient hour
I thought of the sleepless Ahasuerus
commanding his book of records
be read to him.

What a scurry of slaves
chamberlains/archivists
that must have caused!
And imagine some poor chap
blinking
in the smoky light of oil lamps
not daring to yawn in midsentence!

From that reading
came gratitude to the great king's heart
honor to the upright Mordecai
safety to the pious queen and her captive people.

In my snug bed
I, comfortable as any king,
knowing
a kingdom unassailable within me
let memory recount
my chronicles of thanksgiving
for enemies—disease/discouragement/fear—
ofttimes routed
and for all my dominion
Love bestowed.

Margaret Tsuda

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