Hagar

I DO NOT KNOW IF HAGAR
WAS SINNER
OR SAINT
CERTAINLY
ABRAM
AND SARAI
WEREN’T

MOST LIKELY
LIKE MOST OF US
THEY WERE
BOTH

I DO KNOW SHE WAS AN ABUSED WOMAN

WITHOUT HER CONSENT
SHE WAS A WOMB FOR ABRAM’S SEED

SHE WAS A SLAVE
A WALKING TOOL
HER OPINION DIDN’T COUNT

LIFTED OUT OF ANONYMITY
SHE STRUTTED
IN HER NEW IMPORTANCE
AND DISPLEASED HER MISTRESS

SARAI TREATED HER SO HARSHLY
SHE RAN AWAY

THE LORD FOUND HER NEAR WATER
THE LORD ALWAYS FINDS US IN WATER

I HAVE HEARD YOUR CRY
AND THE CHILD’S

YOU WILL NAME HIM ISHMAEL
MEANING
THE LORD WILL HEAR





HAGAR SAID
I WILL CALL YOU
EL-ROI

FOR I HAVE SEEN GOD
AND YET I LIVE

AT GOD’S REQUEST
SHE RETURNED TO SERVITUDE
TO RAISE HER SON

FOURTEEN YEARS LATER
SARAH’S ISAAC WAS BORN
HER JOY
HER LAUGHTER

BUT TROUBLE STARTED AGAIN

THERE WAS JEALOUSY
BETWEEN THE TWO WOMEN

SO HAGAR GIVEN
BREAD AND WATER
WAS EXILED

WHEN THE WATER WAS GONE
SHE PLACED THE CHILD UNDER A BUSH
SO SHE WOULD NOT HEAR ITS DEATH CRIES

BUT GOD HEARD
THE CRIES OF THE CHILD

THE SOBS OF THE MOTHER

AND BROUGHT WATER

HAGAR THOUGHT
NO MATTER
IF THE WORLD BRINGS ME LOW
OR MY OWN BEHAVIOR DOES

GOD DOES HEAR MY CRIES

AND SHE PRAYED

I LOVE THE LORD
FOR HE HEARD
MY VOICE

HE HEARD
MY CRY FOR MERCY

JUST AS I AM

HE BROUGHT ME WATER


FRANK A VOLLMER