Joseph's Dreams And Reuben's Brethren (a Recital In Six Chapters) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCDEFG HIHIJKJK LMNMOPQR GSTSUVWV XYZYA2B2KB2 C2D2E2D2F2G2H2G2 A2I2J2I2K2L2M2L2 N2O2P2O2Q2R2XR2 S2T2U2T2GL2GL2 M2JV2JW2Q2GQ2 X2V2Y2V2Z2LL2L A3J2B3J2C3GD3G A E3PF3PU2D3G3D3 GA3GA3H3I3H3I3 KJ3JK3F3L3F3L3 GM3JM3D3N3O3N3 P3Q3TQ3R3J2JJ2 GQ3GQ3GPGP Q2S3K3S3GT3U3T3 OI3V3I3W3YH2Y X3A3GA3T3Q3Y3Q3 Z3BGA4A2B4A2C4 D4GD4GE4F4JF4 H3F3JF3JJJJ GG4F4G4GA2OA2 H4D2H4D2H4I4UI4 J4H4K4H4L4J4H4J4 J4J4F4J4J4J4GJ4 J4AH4AF3JJJ GPGPH4GJ4G M4F3H4F3J4JPJ D4J4N4J4GJ4O4J4 N4H4H4H4H4JGJ P4S3P4S3GQ4GQ4 GGJ4GJP4J4P4 J4J4J4J4J4H4J4H4 P4J4R4J4J4K4J4K4 F4J4F4J4S4J4JJ4 J4 GJ4H4J4H4T4H4T4 J4GH4GJ4J4H4J4 A GGGGJ4U4V4U4 JJJ4JH4P4H4P4 GJ4JJ4H4H4H4H4 J4GH4GH4J4H4J4 GGGGGJGJ Z3J4H4J4W4JPJ X4GAGJ4H4J4H4 J4JJJJH4H4H4 JJ4P4J4J4H4J4H4 AJ4GJ4J4J4GJ4 J4JJ4JJ4H4F4H4 H4S3H4S3J4GGG H4J2H4J2J4J4H4J4 J4J4H4J4J4J4J4J4 J4J4J4J4F4H4H4H4 J4J4H4J4H4H4H4H4 Z3H4GH4Q4F4Q4F4 J4H4J4H4H4J4H4J4 P4 J4Z3P4Z3F4H4N3H4 J4J4F4J4H4H4J4H4 H2Y4J4Y4P4H4F4H4 JL2H4L2H4J4L2J4 H4GZ4GH4H4H4H4 JAJ4AH4J4H4J4 H4J4F4J4J4H4L2H4 GJ4J4J4H4J4 J4J4J4J4H4J4GJ4 H4H4J4H4F4JGJ J4H4H4H4J4H4H4H4 Y4J4S3J4J4J4J4J4 J4H4J4H4F4J4H4J4 Y4H4GH4F3J4H4J4 J4H4H4H4H4JH4J J4J4J4J4Y4Z3J4Z3 J4F4J4F4J4H4J4H4 Z3H4J4H4F3H4H4H4 H4 J4H4Z3H4J4GH4G J4J4H4J4JH4J4H4 H4H4H4H4U2J4H4J4 H4H4AH4J4H4GH4 E2J4GJ4H4JJJ J4H4H4H4S3Z3S3Z3 GH4JH4J4J4JJ4 J4GJ4GH4H4JH4 H4Z3H4Z3H4H4H4H4 J4JJ4JH4JH4J J4JH4JJH4J JJJJJH4GH4 S3JS3JJGH4G A H4N3GN3GJJJ GJGJJGH4G F3H4F3H4JGJG H4F4H4F4Z3GZ3G F4GF4GZ3GY4G JJJJH4JF3J H4JJJGU2G GH4H4H4GGGG U2H4H4H4H4H4GH4 GH4GH4GGGG GGGGF4H4F4H4 GH4H4H4H4 H4JJJH4H4H4H4 H4GGGGJGJ GP4H4P4GH4I4H4 H4GGGJV3J GJGH4U2GGG H4J2JJ2GS3GS3 R4H4Z3H4GR4Z3R4 P4Z3P4Z3GH4Z3H4 J2GJGGGH4G GJGJP4H4 GGGGJGJG Z3JZ3JG GJ GH4GH4GJGJ H4GH4GGZ3GZ3 H4GGGGJGJ GH4GH4J2JJ2J H4 S3JS3JP4JP4J H4H4H4H4GH4GH4 JH4JH4Z3GZ3G GGH4H4H4H4 AP4GP4F3H4F3H4

CHAPTER I	A
	-
I cannot blame old Israel yet	B
For I am not a sage	C
I shall not know until I get	B
The son of my old age	C
The mysteries of this Vale of Tears	D
We will perchance explain	E
When we have lived a thousand years	F
And died and come again	G
	-
No doubt old Jacob acted mean	H
Towards his father's son	I
But other hands were none too clean	H
When all is said and done	I
There were some things that had to be	J
In those old days 'tis true	K
But with old Jacob's history	J
This tale has nought to do	K
	-
They had to keep the birth rate up	L
And populate the land	M
They did it too by simple means	N
That we can't understand	M
The Patriarchs' way of fixing things	O
Would make an awful row	P
And Sarah's plain straightforward plan	Q
Would never answer now	R
	-
This is a tale of simple men	G
And one precocious boy	S
A spoilt kid and as usual	T
His father's hope and joy	S
It mostly is the way in which	U
The younger sons behave	V
That brings the old man's grey hairs down	W
In sorrow to the grave	V
	-
Old Jacob loved the whelp and made	X
While meaning to be kind	Y
A coat of many colours that	Z
Would strike a nigger blind	Y
It struck the brethren green 'twas said	A2
I'd take a pinch of salt	B2
Their coats had coloured patches too	K
But that was not their fault	B2
	-
Young Joseph had a soft thing on	C2
And humbugged from his birth	D2
You may depend he worked the thing	E2
For all that it was worth	D2
And that he grafted not but crowed	F2
You don't need to be told	G2
And he was mighty cocky with	H2
His Lo and his Behold	G2
	-
He took in all his brothers said	A2
And went and told his Dad	I2
And then when someone split on him	J2
No wonder they were mad	I2
But still he wasn't satisfied	K2
And it would almost seem	L2
He itched to rile his brethren for	M2
He went and dreamed a dream	L2
	-
And told it to his brothers straight	N2
So Genesis believes	O2
Lo we were working in the field	P2
And we were binding sheaves	O2
And my sheaf rose and stood upright	Q2
And straightway for a sign	R2
Your sheaves came round about and made	X
Obeisance to mine	R2
	-
The brethren stared and made comment	S2
In words that were not mild	T2
And when the meaning dawned on them	U2
You bet that they were wild	T2
And Joseph left those angry men	G
To boil and blow off steam	L2
And ambled chuckling home agen	G
To dream another dream	L2
	-
Behold I've dreamed a dream once more	M2
He told 'em frank and free	J
The sun moon and eleven stars	V2
Have likewise bowed to me	J
Perhaps Astronomy has changed	W2
Since Joseph saw the light	Q2
But I have wondered what the sun	G
Was doing out at night	Q2
	-
And when they dropped you never heard	X2
In sheds or shanty bars	V2
Such awful language as escaped	Y2
From those eleven stars	V2
You know how Jacob Israel loved	Z2
His hopeful youngest pup	L
But when he heard the latest dream	L2
It shook the old man up	L
	-
But Joseph talked his father round	A3
Who humoured every whim	J2
Perhaps old Jacob half believed	B3
They would bow down to him	J2
But anyway as always was	C3
He backed the youngest son	G
And sent the others with the sheep	D3
Out to the Check 'em run	G
	-
	-
	-
CHAPTER II	A
	-
Now Jacob with that wondrous tact	E3
That doting parents show	P
Or anxious for his sons out back	F3
Sent of all others Joe	P
To see if it was well with them	U2
And they were not asleep	D3
With one eye on his brothers' camp	G3
And one eye on the sheep	D3
	-
He drew a blank on Check 'em run	G
Got bushed too you'll be bound	A3
A certain cove there's always one	G
Saw Joseph mooning round	A3
He asked him how it came to pass	H3
And what it was about	I3
And said They're trav lin' now for grass	H3
In Doothen further out	I3
	-
He also muttered Strike me blue	K
While staring at the clothes	J3
He'd never seen a jackaroo	J
With such a coat as Joe's	K3
He set the nameless on the track	F3
And scratched his head to think	L3
But gave it best and riding back	F3
Said firmly Strike me pink	L3
	-
'Twas blazing hot in Doothen then	G
The sweat ran down in streams	M3
It melted out the memory	J
Of even Joseph's dreams	M3
They'd had some trouble with the sheep	D3
Some Arabs and a shirk	N3
It was a favourable time	O3
For Joe to get to work	N3
	-
They saw him coming afar off	P3
In this case you might note	Q3
Their eyesight wasn't wonderful	T
Considering the coat	Q3
And what with sheep and dust and flies	R3
And damned shirks in the swim	J2
With sheep stealers the brethren were	J
For absenteeing him	J2
	-
And add to that he scared the kine	G
With his infernal coat	Q3
They trampled on the sheep and swine	G
And startled every goat	Q3
The brethren had to round up then	G
As fast as ass could go	P
And when they got to camp agen	G
They'd fixed it up for Joe	P
	-
Save poor old Rube he had the blight	Q2
But grafting all the same	S3
He only looked on family rows	K3
As just a blooming shame	S3
Like many an easy going man	G
He had a cunning soul	T3
He said We will not kill the kid	U3
But shove him in a hole	T3
	-
And leave him there to dream o' things	O
There's not the slightest doubt	I3
He meant to slip round after dark	V3
And pull the youngster out	I3
And fill his gourd and tucker bag	W3
And tell him Not to mind	Y
And start him on the back track with	H2
A gentle kick behind	Y
	-
Some 'Tothersider prospectors	X3
Had been there poking round	A3
You may depend that Reuben knew	G
'Twas dry and shallow ground	A3
They dropped young Joseph in a hole	T3
The giddy little goat	Q3
And left him there to cool his heels	Y3
Without his overcoat	Q3
	-
Don't think that Moses such a whale	Z3
On dry facts thought it wet	B
To say when they'd chucked Joseph in	G
It was an empty pit	A4
So many things are preached and said	A2
Where'er the Bible is	B4
To prove that Moses never read	A2
The proofs of Genesis	C4
	-
But let's get on While having grub	D4
A brethren sniffed and seen	G
Some Ishmaelites pass through the scrub	D4
Or O asses I mean	G
They'd been right out to Gilead	E4
A rather longish trip	F4
For camel loads of balm and myrrh	J
And spicery for 'Gyp	F4
	-
I've often seen the Afghans pass	H3
With camel strings out back	F3
And thought 'twas somewhat similar	J
On that old Bible track	F3
I don't know much of balm and myrrh	J
Whatever they may be	J
But e'en when sheepskins were not there	J
I've smelt the spicery	J
	-
It was the same in Canaan then	G
As it is here to day	G4
A sudden thought jerked Judah up	F4
For brofit straight away	G4
The brethren got on one end too	G
When Judah jumped and said	A2
We'll sell the kid for what he brings	O
He's no good when he's dead	A2
	-
And to be short they being Jews	H4
The chosing of the earth	D2
They sold him to the Ishmaelites	H4
For more than twice his worth	D2
Some Midianitish auctioneers	H4
Were also on the job	I4
'Twas twenty bits of silver which	U
I s'pose was twenty bob	I4
	-
So they most comfortably got	J4
Young Joseph off their hands	H4
For Ishmael never bothered much	K4
About receipts or brands	H4
They spake not of his dreams and cheek	L4
His laziness or skite	J4
No doubt they thought the Ishmaelites	H4
Would see to that all right	J4
	-
Then Reuben came he'd been around	J4
To watch the sheep a bit	J4
And on his way back to the camp	F4
He slipped round by the pit	J4
To give young Joe a drink He stared	J4
And thinking Joe was dead	J4
He rent his gown like mad and ran	G
For ashes for his head	J4
	-
As if that would do any good	J4
I only know that I	A
Cannot afford to rend my clothes	H4
When my relations die	A
I don't suppose they would come back	F3
Or that the world would care	J
If I went howling for a year	J
With ashes in my hair	J
	-
You say he counted on a new	G
Rig out Yes And you know	P
That Jacob tore his garment too	G
So that old cock won't crow	P
Look here You keep your smart remarks	H4
Till after I am gone	G
I won't have Reuben silver tailed	J4
Nor Pharaoh later on	G
	-
The brethren humbugged Reuben well	M4
For fear he'd take the track	F3
And sneak in on the Ishmaelites	H4
And steal young Joseph back	F3
Or fight it out if he was caught	J4
And die as it might be	J
Or at the best go down with Joe	P
And into slavery	J
	-
Young Simeon slipped into the scrub	D4
To where the coat was hid	J4
And Judah stayed and wept with Rube	N4
While Levi killed a kid	J4
So they fixed up the wild beast yarn	G
And Hebrews sadly note	J4
Considering the price of cloth	O4
They had to spoil the coat	J4
	-
There was a yam about old Rube	N4
That all true men despise	H4
Spread by his father's concubines	H4
A vicious strumpet's lies	H4
But I believe old Moses was	H4
As we are well aware	J
That Reuben stood in this last scene	G
The central figure there	J
	-
I feel for poor old Israel's grief	P4
Believing all the same	S3
And not with atheist unbelief	P4
That Jacob was to blame	S3
'Twas ever so and shall be done	G
While one fond fool has breath	Q4
Fond folly drives the youngest son	G
To ruin and to death	Q4
	-
	-
	-
The caravan went jogging on	G
To Pharaoh's royal town	G
But Genesis gives no account	J4
Of Joseph's journey down	G
I wouldn't be surprised to hear	J
He found it pretty rough	P4
But there's a bare chance that his hide	J4
As well as cheek was tough	P4
	-
	-
	-
I see them toiling through the heat	J4
In patches and in dirt	J4
With sand grooved sandals on their feet	J4
And slaves without a shirt	J4
The dust caked thirst the burning ground	J4
The mad and maddening flies	H4
That gathered like black goggles round	J4
The piccaninnies' eyes	H4
	-
	-
	-
The Ishmaelites had tempers brief	P4
And whips of hide and gut	J4
And sometimes p'raps for Hagar's sake	R4
Gave Joe an extra cut	J4
When fainting by the way he felt	J4
The stimulating touch	K4
I have no doubt he often wished	J4
He hadn't dreamed so much	K4
	-
	-
	-
He didn't dream much on that trip	F4
Although he thought a lot	J4
However they got down to 'Gyp	F4
In good time where he got	J4
A wash and rest he needed both	S4
And in the old slave yard	J4
Was sold to Captain Potiphar	J
Of Pharaoh's body guard	J4
	-
	-
	-
INTERLUDE	J4
	-
I pause to state that later on	G
And it seems worth the halt	J4
Smart Judah gat into a mess	H4
Though it was not his fault	J4
And I would only like to say	H4
In this most thankless task	T4
Wives sell to husbands every day	H4
And that without a mask	T4
	-
But what with family rows and drought	J4
And blessed women too	G
The fathers of terrestrial tribes	H4
Had quite enough to do	G
They had to graft both day and night	J4
With no rest save the last	J4
For when they were not grafting they	H4
Were populating fast	J4
	-
	-
	-
CHAPTER III	A
	-
The Captain was a casual man	G
But seemed a shrewd one too	G
He got young Joseph's measure soon	G
And saw what he could do	G
The Lord was with Joe Moses said	J4
I know that Joe had pluck	U4
But I believe 'twas mostly check	V4
And his infernal luck	U4
	-
The Captain made him manager	J
Housekeeper overseer	J
And found that this arrangement paid	J4
That much at least is clear	J
And what with merchants clerks and slaves	H4
Joe led a busy life	P4
With one eye on the maid servants	H4
And Jeames and Potty's wife	P4
	-
The Captain seemed a casual man	G
And 'Gyp was on the glide	J4
There was a growing tendency	J
To live and let things slide	J4
He left all things in Joseph's hands	H4
According to old Mose	H4
And knew not what he had besides	H4
His tucker and his clothes	H4
	-
I guess he had a shrewd idea	J4
For it is now as then	G
The world most often makes mistakes	H4
With easy going men	G
The Captain often went away	H4
For quietness and rest	J4
And maybe for some other things	H4
Well Potiphar knew best	J4
	-
Perhaps the missus knew it too	G
At least she should have known	G
And Joe was handsome strange and new	G
And she was much alone	G
It seems a funny business now	G
But I was never there	J
Perhaps so long as cheques came in	G
The Captain didn't care	J
	-
'Tis strange that Moses such a whale	Z3
On details out of joint	J4
Should always come in such a case	H4
So bluntly to the point	J4
He says Joe had a goodly form	W4
Or person it should be	J
He says that she cast eyes on Joe	P
And she said Lie with me	J
	-
It took young Joseph sudden like	X4
He'd heard while on the run	G
Of other women who could lie	A
And in more ways than one	G
Of men who had been gaoled or hanged	J4
As they are here to day	H4
Likewise of lovers who were banged	J4
And so he edged away	H4
	-
She never moved and so he stayed	J4
While she was there to hear	J
For his infernal vanity	J
Was stronger than his fear	J
He bragged his opportunity	J
His strength and godliness	H4
There is no greater in the house	H4
Than I She made him less	H4
	-
'Twas cant to brag of purity	J
And right in that household	J4
For what was he if not a slave	P4
And basely bought and sold	J4
Unmanly for a man to treat	J4
A love starved woman so	H4
And cowardly to humiliate	J4
A spirit thrust so low	H4
	-
She knew that Joseph was a spy	A
On her and all the rest	J4
And this with his outspoken scorn	G
Made reasons manifest	J4
She had her passions don't be shocked	J4
For you have yours no doubt	J4
And meant to take young Joseph down	G
And pay her husband out	J4
	-
He was a slave and bought and sold	J4
And I will say right here	J
His preaching was too manifold	J4
And glib to be sincere	J
When youth and looks turn goody good	J4
You'll see it at a glance	H4
They have one eye to woman's help	F4
And both on the main chance	H4
	-
Now had old Rube been in his place	H4
All honour to his name	S3
I'll swear he would have taken things	H4
Exactly as they came	S3
And kept it dark or fought it out	J4
As the ungodly can	G
But whatsoe'er he might have done	G
He would have been a man	G
	-
Howbeit the missus stuck to Joe	H4
Vindictive vicious grim	J2
And bore his sermons and rebuffs	H4
Until she cornered him	J2
He left his garment in her hand	J4
And gat him out of that	J4
About the merits of the case	H4
I'll say no more that's flat	J4
	-
He knew all right what she was at	J4
And Potiphar was out	J4
He went alone into the house	H4
When no one was about	J4
He may have been half drunk or mad	J4
He certainly was blind	J4
To run no further than the yard	J4
And leave his coat behind	J4
	-
But seeing how our laws are fixed	J4
If I get in such dirt	J4
I'll straightway get me out of that	J4
If I've to leave my shirt	J4
But I will keep the running up	F4
If I have common sense	H4
Nor stop this side of Jericho	H4
To think of my defence	H4
	-
Joe should have streaked for Suez straight	J4
And tried his luck in flight	J4
For Canaan where they looked on things	H4
In quite another light	J4
Old Jacob had experience	H4
And he'd have stuck to Joe	H4
He was a match for women's lies	H4
That flabbergast us so	H4
	-
The missus told the self same tale	Z3
And in the self same way	H4
As our enfranchised females do	G
In police courts every day	H4
Too cowardly to breathe a breath	Q4
Against the vilest rip	F4
We send straight men to gaol or death	Q4
Just as they did in 'Gyp	F4
	-
Now Potiphar was wondrous mild	J4
Suspiciously to say	H4
The least He didn't operate	J4
On Joseph straight away	H4
Perhaps he knew his wife no less	H4
Than Joe yet had regard	J4
For his own peace and quietness	H4
So Joe got two years' hard	J4
	-
	-
	-
CHAPTER IV	P4
	-
The Lord was with him Moses said	J4
Yet his luck didn't fail	Z3
For he got on the right side of	P4
The governor of the gaol	Z3
Perhaps he'd heard of Mrs P	F4
And cases like to Joe's	H4
And knew as much of woman's work	N3
As anybody knows	H4
	-
He made Joe super lag a sort	J4
Of deputy retained	J4
The easy going tendency	F4
In Egypt seemed ingrained	J4
Left everything in Joseph's hands	H4
Except maybe the keys	H4
And thereafter he let things slide	J4
And smoked his pipe in peace	H4
	-
Now Pharaoh had some trouble with	H2
His butler and his cook	Y4
But Pharaoh seemed most lenient	J4
With asses bought to book	Y4
He didn't cut the weak end off	P4
Each absent minded wretch	H4
But mostly sent the idiots up	F4
To chokey for a stretch	H4
	-
They found themselves in Joseph's care	J
And it would almost seem	L2
They'd got wind of his weaknesses	H4
For each one dreamed a dream	L2
They dreamed a dream both of them Each	H4
Man his dream in one night	J4
Each man according to his dream	L2
And his own dream that's right	J4
	-
Next morning they made up their mugs	H4
And Joseph passing through	G
Asked them if they were feeling cronk	Z4
And why they looked so blue	G
They told him they had dreamed two dreams	H4
One each and any dunce	H4
Can understand how such remarks	H4
Would int'rest Joe at once	H4
	-
And there was no interpreter	J
They said and that was why	A
Joe said that that belonged to God	J4
But he would have a try	A
I've noticed this with Christians since	H4
And often thought it odd	J4
They cannot keep their hands from things	H4
They say belong to God	J4
	-
The butler dreamed or anyway	H4
He said so understand	J4
He'd made some wine in Pharaoh's cup	F4
And placed it in his hand	J4
And Pharaoh placed the wine inside	J4
I s'pose But anyways	H4
There were three branches in the dream	L2
Which were of course three days	H4
	-
The butler might have one again	G
And Joseph going strong
By evil chance get wind of it	J4
And diagnose it wrong
The cook had been the butler's mate	J4
And he thought was it odd	J4
That nightmare students such as Joe	H4
Were safer far in quod	J4
	-
He did repent him of his fault	J4
Though it was rather late	J4
For Pharaoh's dreams had called a halt	J4
A reason of some weight	J4
The butler hoped to score but 'twas	H4
A risky thing to do	J4
And you will wonder later on	G
If Joe forgat him too	J4
	-
'Twas plain to any fool so Joe	H4
Said Yet within three days	H4
Shall Pharaoh lift thine head up and	J4
Restore thee to thy place	H4
Thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup	F4
Into his hand once more	J
And he shall drink the liquor down	G
Just as it was before	J
	-
But promise when thou art all right	J4
And nothing is amiss	H4
To speak to Pharaoh of my case	H4
And get me out of this	H4
For I was kidnapped likewise gaoled	J4
For nothing that I know	H4
And granting his celibacy	H4
'Twould seem that that was so	H4
	-
The cook he was a godless cook	Y4
But quietly he stood	J4
'Til Joseph's inspiration came	S3
And he saw it was good	J4
And then his dream he did unfold	J4
All straight and unrehearsed	J4
Without a Lo or a Behold	J4
Or windmill business first	J4
	-
I'd three old baskets on me 'ed	J4
Now I ain't tellin' lies	H4
The top 'un full of fancy bread	J4
An' pork 'n' kidney pies	H4
I didn't bother looking up	F4
For it was blazin' 'ot	J4
There come a flock of crimson crows	H4
And scoffed the bleedin' lot	J4
	-
The cook he was a clever cook	Y4
But he'd been on the spree	H4
He put the case as man to man	G
And put it frank and free	H4
He patted Joseph on the back	F3
Told him to go ahead	J4
And Joseph met the cook half way	H4
And man to man he said	J4
	-
Within three days shall Pharaoh lift	J4
Thine head from off of thee	H4
And he shall hang thee by the heels	H4
To the most handy tree	H4
A flock of crows shall pick thy bones	H4
And to be trebly sure	J
His slaves shall pound them up with stones	H4
And use them for manure	J
	-
The butler passed an anxious night	J4
He wanted matters fixed	J4
For what if Joe's prescriptions should	J4
By some fool chance get mixed	J4
The cook who was a careless cook	Y4
Wrote scoff words on the wall	Z3
But when the time was up he wished	J4
He hadn't dreamed at all	Z3
	-
And Pharaoh gave a feast he'd got	J4
Another chef this trip	F4
And his old butler he restored	J4
Unto his butlership	F4
But hanged the cook And after that	J4
Or this is how it seems	H4
The butler straight away forgat	J4
Young Joseph and his dreams	H4
	-
And maybe he was wise for all	Z3
That anybody knows	H4
He'd seen the headless baker hanged	J4
And picked clean by the crows	H4
It struck him too when looking back	F3
While calm and free from cares	H4
That Joseph had an off hand way	H4
Of fixing up nightmares	H4
	-
	-
	-
CHAPTER V	H4
	-
The gaol did Joseph little good	J4
Except by starts and fits	H4
But saved old Egypt for a while	Z3
And brightened up his wits	H4
And lest you thought me most unjust	J4
In matters lately gone	G
You read and know how holy Joe	H4
Sold Egypt later on	G
	-
Her weather prophets were as good	J4
As ours are every bit	J4
But Pharaoh took to dreaming dreams	H4
And made a mess of it	J4
And but for that I do not care	J
What anybody thinks	H4
I'd not have lost my overcoat	J4
And watch and chain and links	H4
	-
Now Joseph's and the prisoners' dreams	H4
Were plain as dreams could be	H4
And more especially Pharaoh's dreams	H4
As far as I can see	H4
The same man who invented them	U2
Could well have read them too	J4
But any third rate showman knows	H4
That that would never do	J4
	-
There must be Lo's Beholds and Yets	H4
And It must come to pass	H4
'Til floods are gone and tanks are dry	A
And there's no crops nor grass	H4
And Likewise Alsoes Says unto	J4
And countless weary Ands	H4
Until Japan sends Chinamen	G
To irrigate the lands	H4
	-
And Pharaoh must take off his ring	E2
The one from off his hand	J4
To put upon Joe's little fin	G
That all might understand	J4
And they must ride in chariots	H4
Have banquets everywhere	J
And launch trips up the Hawkesbury	J
To see Australia there	J
	-
I dreamed last night that cattle fed	J4
Along the river flats	H4
They bore the brands of all the States	H4
And looked like Queensland fats	H4
And lo a mob of strangers came	S3
All bones from horn to heel	Z3
But they had nostrils breathing flame	S3
And they had horns of steel	Z3
	-
I dreamed that seven sheep were shorn	G
That went by seven tracks	H4
And strove to live the winter through	J
With sackcloth on their backs	H4
And lo I dreamed from east and west	J4
There came two blades of heat	J4
One blackened all the towns like fire	J
Like drought one burnt the wheat	J4
	-
A black slave and a white slave laid	J4
A golden carpet down	G
And yellow guards stood round about	J4
And he that came was brown	G
Men slaved beneath the whip in pits	H4
Who now slave willingly	H4
They sold their birthright for a score	J
Now read those dreams for me	H4
	-
But Joseph fixed up Pharaoh's dreams	H4
As quick as I can tell	Z3
And for Australia's sake I wish	H4
That mine were fixed as well	Z3
And nationalized from trusts and rings	H4
And shady covenants	H4
But we have thirteen little kings	H4
Of thirteen Parliaments	H4
	-
The years of plenty soon run out	J4
And from the cricket score	J
We'll turn to face the years of drought	J4
And might be years of war	J
With neither money men nor guns	H4
With nothing but despair	J
But I get tired of printing truths	H4
For use no matter where	J
	-
Joe said to seek a wise man out	J4
And Pharaoh took the Jew	J
Adventurers fix up our dreams	H4
And we elect them too	J
I mean no slur on any tribe
My best friend was a Yid	J
But we let boodlers shape our ends	H4
And just as Pharaoh did	J
	-
But Joseph did spy out the land	J
If not for his own good	J
He only boodled on the grand	J
It must be understood	J
He made a corner first in wheat	J
And did it thoroughly	H4
No trust has ever seen since then	G
So great a shark as he	H4
	-
And when the fearful famine came	S3
And corn was in demand	J
He grabbed in God's and Pharaoh's name	S3
The money stock and land	J
He knew the drought was very bad	J
In Canaan crops were gone	G
But never once inquired how his	H4
Old Dad was getting on	G
	-
	-
	-
CHAPTER VI	A
	-
And after many barren years	H4
Of spirit breaking work	N3
I see the brethren journeying down	G
From Canaan's West o' Bourke	N3
And into Egypt to buy corn	G
As at this very hour	J
My brethren toil through blazing heat	J
The weary miles for flour	J
	-
'Twas noble of our Joseph then	G
The Governor of the land	J
To bait those weary simple men	G
With monies in their hand	J
To gratify his secret spite	J
As only cowards can	G
And preen his blasted vanity	H4
And strike through Benjamin	G
	-
He put a cup in Benny's sack	F3
And sent them on their way	H4
And sent the Pleece to bring 'em back	F3
Before they'd gone a day	H4
The constable was well aware	J
Of Joseph's little plan	G
And most indignant when he caught	J
The wretched caravan	G
	-
He yelped Have such things come to pass	H4
Howld hard there Jerk 'em up	F4
Put down yer packs from every ass	H4
And fork out Phairey's cup	F4
It makes me sick upon my soul	Z3
The gratichood of man	G
Ye had the feast and then ye shtole	Z3
His silver billy can	G
	-
They swore that they had seen no cup	F4
And after each had sworn	G
They said the sandstorm coming up	F4
Would simply spoil the corn	G
They begged that he would wait until	Z3
They reached the nearest barn	G
He said O that's a wind that shook	Y4
The barley sort of yarn	G
	-
	-
Now I'm no sergeant understand	J
Ye needn't call me that	J
Oi want no sugar wid me sand	J
Whin Joseph smells a rat	J
Take down yer sacks from off yer backs	H4
The other asses too	J
And rip the neck of every sack	F3
The boys will see yer through	J
	-
The cup was found in Benjamin's	H4
As all the world's aware	J
The constable seemed most surprised	J
Because he'd put it there	J
A greenhorn raised on asses' milk
Well this beats all I know	G
And then when he had cautioned them	U2
He took the gang in tow	G
	-
And when they started out to rend	G
Their turbans and their skirts	H4
He said Ye drunken lunatics	H4
Ye needn't tear yer shirts	H4
Ye're goin' where there's ladies now	G
So keep yer shirts on mind	G
The Guvnor got in trouble wanst	G
For leavin' his behind	G
	-
And Joseph gaoled and frightened them	U2
The feast was not amiss	H4
It showed him most magnanimous	H4
With all that wasn't his	H4
He took some extra graveyard pulls	H4
At his old Dad's grey hairs	H4
'Til Judah spoke up like a man	G
And spoke up unawares	H4
	-
Then Joseph said that he was Joe	G
With Egypt in his clutch	H4
You will not be surprised to know	G
It didn't cheer them much	H4
And when he saw they were afraid	G
And bowed beneath the rod	G
He summoned snuffle to his aid	G
And put it all on God	G
	-
And now the brethren understood	G
With keen regret no doubt	G
That sin is seldom any good	G
Unless it's carried out	G
For after that heart breaking trip	F4
Across the scorching sands	H4
They found themselves in Joseph's grip	F4
With Benny on their hands	H4
	-
Poor Reuben to persuade his dad	G
To let the youngster come
Had left his own sons' lives in pledge
For Benjamin at home
But life is made of many fires	H4
And countless frying pans	H4
As fast as we get rid of Joe's	H4
We're plagued by Benjamin's	H4
	-
Joe had a use for them so he	H4
Bade them to have no fear	J
He said to them It was not you	J
But God who sent me here	J
He sent me on to save your lives	H4
He hath sent you to me	H4
To see to you and all your wives	H4
And your posterity	H4
	-
The Lord God hath exalted me	H4
And made me His right hand	G
A father unto Pharaoh and	G
A ruler in the land	G
And likewise lord of Egypt	G
He said a few things more	J
And then he got to business straight	G
I've heard such cant before	J
	-
Those who have read will understand	G
I never mean to scoff	P4
But I hate all hypocrisy	H4
And blasted showing off	P4
How cunningly our holy Joe	G
Fixed up his tribe's affairs	H4
For his own ends and sprang the job	I4
On Pharaoh unawares	H4
	-
The fame was heard in Pharaoh's house	H4
Where peace and kindness thrived	G
Saying Joseph's brethren are come
Joe's brothers have arrived	G
And Pharaoh heard and was well pleased	G
For he was white all through	J
And Moses says without remark	V3
It pleased the servants too	J
	-
But Pharaoh promptly put an end	G
To Joseph's mummery	J
He said Send waggons up and bid	G
Thy people come to me	H4
Thou art commanded Furnish them	U2
With money and with food	G
And say that I will give them land	G
And see that it is good	G
	-
And Jacob's sons chucked up their runs	H4
With blessings short and grim	J2
And Jacob took the stock and gear	J
And all his seed with him	J2
They sent the family tree ahead	G
And Pharaoh read that same	S3
They found him very tired 'twas said	G
And misty when they came	S3
	-
And Pharaoh unto Joseph spake	R4
Most kind though wearily	H4
Thy father and thy brethren all	Z3
Are now come unto thee	H4
And Egypt is before thee now	G
So in the best land make	R4
Thy father and thy brethren dwell	Z3
The land of Goshen take	R4
	-
And there unhindered let them thrive	P4
In comfort let them dwell	Z3
Apart and free My people love	P4
All shepherds none too well	Z3
But if thou knowest amongst them men	G
Of proved activity	H4
Then make them rulers over all	Z3
My flocks and herds for me	H4
	-
They brought five brethren unto him	J2
And he was very kind	G
Perhaps he looked those brethren through	J
And saw what lay behind	G
His head he rested on his hand	G
And smoothed his careworn brow	G
He gazed on Israel thoughtfully	H4
And asked How old art thou	G
	-
And Jacob told him and was touched	G
He said his days were few	J
And evil They had not attained	G
To those his father knew	J
But Jacob only had himself	P4
And no one else to thank
If Joe had given his grey hairs	H4
A second graveyard yank
	-
I think that Pharaoh was a man	G
Who always understood	G
But was content to stand aside	G
If for his people's good	G
And seem not missed the while He knew	J
His merits and no pride	G
And 'twas a grievous day for Jew	J
And Gentile when he died	G
	-
	-
	-
You know the rest of Joseph's tale	Z3
And well the poor Egyptians knew	J
House agent on the grand old scale	Z3
He boodled till the land was blue	J
He squeezed them tight and bled them white	G
	-
Until a Pharaoh came in sight	G
Who didn't know him from a crow	J
	-
The Patriarchs right back from Dad	G
To where the line begins	H4
Were great at passing blessings on	G
Together with their sins	H4
Old Noah was about the first	G
Cursed Ham till all was blue	J
But 'twas with some effect he cursed	G
And with good reason too	J
	-
And when the time had come to pass	H4
For Jacob to be gone	G
He polished up his father's sins	H4
And calmly passed them on	G
He called his twelve sons round his bed	G
Lest some good might befall	Z3
He called his twelve sons to be blessed	G
And cursed them one and all	Z3
	-
Save Joseph and the rest had cause	H4
To curse him ere they got	G
The English who have every day	G
More cause to damn the lot	G
And if they crossed the Red Sea now	G
I guess we'd let them go	J
With Satan hurry Kohenstein	G
And God speed Ikey Mo	J
	-
And lest my Jewish friends be wroth	G
As they won't be with me	H4
I'll say that there is Jewish blood	G
In my posterity	H4
This verse I trust shall profit him	J2
When he has ceased to grow	J
My firstborn who was known as Jim	J2
But whose true name is Joe	J
	-
	-
	-
AFTERWORD	H4
	-
I've written much that is to blame	S3
But I have only sought to show	J
That hearts of men were just the same	S3
Some forty centuries ago	J
All kindness comes with woman's love	P4
That which she claims is due to her	J
Not man not man but God above	P4
Dare judge the wife of Potiphar	J
	-
And Jacob shall be ever blind	H4
To reason and posterity	H4
In that fond folly of mankind	H4
That is born of impotency	H4
No parents' love or parents' wealth	G
Shall ever fairly portioned be	H4
Faith shall not come except by stealth	G
Nor justice in one family	H4
	-
And Joseph proved unto this hour	J
Just what he was in Holy Writ	H4
A selfish tyrant in his power	J
And up or down a hypocrite	H4
And Joseph still whate'er befall	Z3
But gives his place to Benjamin	G
And Reuben bears the brunt of all	Z3
Though Judah does the best he can	G
	-
The hearts of men shall never change
While one man dies and one is born	G
We journey yet though ways seem strange
Down into Egypt to buy corn	G
Some prosper there and they forget	H4
And some go down and are forgot	H4
And Pride and Self betray us yet	H4
Till Pharaohs rise that know us not	H4
	-
But kindliness shall live for aye	A
And though we well our fate deserve	P4
Samaritans shall pass that way	G
And kings like Pharaoh rule to serve	P4
We're fighting out of Egypt's track	F3
And ah the fight is ever grand	H4
Although in Canaan or Out Back	F3
We never reach the Promised Land	H4

Henry Lawson

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