John Grey

My Place in the Family Tree

Family Bible,
ten generations old,
pages yellow,
falling apart,
shoved back together
in a mass
so that creation,
death, are intermingled,
miracles anticipate
the prophets who
foresee them...
like all the valuables,
the trinkets passed down,
now scattered like debris...
ceramic donkey 1947
wrapped in moldy wedding dress
from 1892,
grandmother's diamond
in a strong box
with her grandmother's plate...
even now,
ancient false teeth
fall out of the sky
and bite the baby's hand
or faded photographs
compete with bright new glossies
for the eye...
I thumb through that family Bible...
Jesus is crucified
and then it's the very first Christmas...
so I bring Him a gift...
myself, who is not born yet.

© John Grey