Gershom's Song Poem by Linda Hepner

Grandfather Jethro blessed me, blessed me –
What strange tongue he sang!
Everyone calls him the grand ol’man
But he don’t look rich and he don’t look grand
So we giggle and tease and we touch his hand
Which it looks like a burned ol’ tree.

Mama she came and slapped me, slapped me,
What a sad face she had!
“God is watching so don’t be bad,
Wild like desert beasts you talk like mad, ”
But Mam don’t you beat me or I’ll tell my Dad
And he’ll drown you back in the Sea.

Mama she came to kill me, kill me,
God I don’t want to die!
Into the tent with her hand held high,
Screaming of bridegrooms and blood she cried,
But Dad came in and that’s how I
Saw them kiss like when I was three.

Grandfather Jethro nursed me, nursed me –
Sang me a midwife song,
Told me the tales of Egyptian sons
“Now listen to Jethro and you won’t go wrong,
The Promised Land’s coming soon it won’t be long
And next year we’ll both go free! ”