by Jane Mary Curran
The Philistines came to her and said,
“Find out how we may overpower
Samson; we will give you silver.”
–Judges 16:5
You have heard of Samson and the wreckage of pillars.
Listen to me. Samson had the strength of a giant and the soul
of a brute. The Philistines could not defeat him in battle so
they came to me with an offer. Samson used prostitutes, but
their attentions were paid for. What if he could have a
woman for free?
Samson, my warrior, what makes your strength so great?
Your cloak of hair has never been cut? It fell to his knees,
matted, filthy with dust. Come, lay your head in my lap.
I took bulging bags of Philistine silver, bought a house in
Gaza beside the Great Sea. In the evenings I lounge in my
garden, sip sweet wine, stroll beneath palm trees. Might was
felled by a few soft words. Listen to me.
“Listen to me,” Jane! What a delightfully powerful poem. I loved seeing Delilah longing in her home by the sea. Well done!