Resilience Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham returns again to Cain's land to wash the mark from his face in tears, repenting. He seaks the embrace of his twin, his mirror self, from Esau, on whose ankle he had clung to at birth, from whom he had cleaved his fabled inheritance, now measured in property and power. (After the price of destiny is paid, exhaustion extends its hand, pretending simple-hearted quietude can form a vessel to hold the essence of happiness.) And so the prodigal son is welcomed home at great expence. Abraham wrestled his God to find truth. Isaac wrestled his father to escape death. Jacob embraced his brother-self to be whole again. Simply. It is a long journey taken that ends looking into the eyes of our own birth.

Resilience © 1998 by Tobin James Mueller
"Ash" published by ArtsForge Press.
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