(Daughter of Potipherah, who was Pharoah’s Counsellor. She was given to Joseph by Pharoah and bore two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim. “Jospeh and Aseneth” is an apocryphal expansion on the Genesis story.)
Asaneth
In courts of business and of prayer,
I lift my glance and blessings share.
My beauty publicly adorns
The sacrifices brought each morn.
Acclaimed I am for face and frame.
For goddess worship I am named.
Shield-maiden priestess of the land
I gift the water to the sand.
Potipherah
Gentle maiden – daughter dear…
Our Pharoah brings your wedding near.
You are to stand a Joseph’s side
You will become his gifted bride.
Joseph
Haughty maiden! Cast your arrows down!
Remove from your brow the idol’s red crown.
No longer wear the signs on your dress
Of the warrior Neith – Egyptian goddess.
To my troth comes the time to take on a new life
Share my bed if you will, but to be my wife
It is not enough with me to lie
First you must worship the Lord Adonai.
Renounce the ways of Egypt’s deities.
Turn to Yahweh in your piety.
Make my heart and soul your own
As I make Egypt my home.
Asaneth
How can this be? My world is torn.
Would I another into new life be born?
Now to Yahweh should I turn?
No longer make Naith’s offerings burn?
What is this warrioress’ defeat
That I should discard and deplete
All I have valued and have known
Now that this new Lord is shown?
My would-be husband gives his sign
That his religion should be mine.
An act of faith to pray this way
And enter into this new day.
(Asanath = Daughter of Neith. Neith was an early goddess in the Egyptian pantheon.)
© 2017, A.Koh-Butler
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