Student Poetry This Project WR245 More Home Photo Copyright © Adrianne Brockman Used by permission.		Job's Friends Pantoum Linda Appel At least we four came to visit, we friends sat by him, We obeyed the command to comfort the afflicted. It was little thanks we got, but you have to give us that. Most other friends and relatives never dropped in. We friends obeyed the command to comfort the afflicted, While Job mourned his losses, his fate. Most other friends and relatives never dropped in. What fears kept those false ones away? While Job mourned his losses, his fate, We four friends sat in silent sympathy. What fears kept those false ones away? Did they dread contagion of his calamity? We four friends sat in silent sympathy Until Job began to question, complain and argue. We began to fear contagion from his calamity; We responded with words of wisdom we’d heard all our life. When Job began to question, complain and argue, We took him to task. Who could sympathize then? Of course we responded with words of wisdom known all our lives; Insistently we repeated all the things we were taught. We took poor Job to task. Who could sympathize long? It was time for him to get past his troubles, get on with life. Over and over we repeated all these things we knew, We questioned and lectured Job until he got mad at us, But it was time for him to pull up his socks, get on with life. Perhaps our presence was no help at all, however We questioned and lectured until he became angry and impatient; We pushed and prodded him until Job confronted God. Perhaps our presence was no help at all, but At least we came to visit. At first we silently sat with him, But finally we pushed and prodded until---Job confronted God. You have to give us that. It’s surely all we got. Linda Knowlton Appel was born in 1939. Raised in Alabama and Massachusetts, she has lived all around the United States. After many years as a science and business librarian, she has retired to concentrate on writing poetry. She has two children, two grandchildren and lives with her husband on the Willamette River in Oregon. You can read more of Linda's classroom poems by following the graphic link below.
	>	Insomnia by Linda Appel can be read here. Next 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 Copyright © 2005 Linda Appel All rights reserved. Spring Term 2005. Clackamas Community College, Oregon City, Oregon Web design by Doran Web Works.