A little East of Jordan, 1
Evangelists record,
A Gymnast and an Angel
Did wrestle long and hard－
Till morning touching mountain－5
And Jacob, waxing strong,
The Angel begged permission
To Breakfast－to return－
Not so, said cunning Jacob! 9
"I will not let thee go
Except thou bless me"－Stranger!
The which acceded to－
Light swung the silver fleeces 13
"Peniel" Hills beyond,
And the bewildered Gymnast
Found he had worsted God!
Evangelists record,
A Gymnast and an Angel
Did wrestle long and hard－
Till morning touching mountain－5
And Jacob, waxing strong,
The Angel begged permission
To Breakfast－to return－
Not so, said cunning Jacob! 9
"I will not let thee go
Except thou bless me"－Stranger!
The which acceded to－
Light swung the silver fleeces 13
"Peniel" Hills beyond,
And the bewildered Gymnast
Found he had worsted God!
(F.145/J.59)
[1–16]:: This poem talks about Dickinson's view on Jacob and Peniel.
[3] Gymnast:: Jacob was good at wrestling like a gymnastic expert. Angel:: title of the pastor or minister of a church (OED 3, 1831); a church minister who blessed Jacob in line 11.
[6] Jacob:: a simpleton (OED 2c, 1811); a name close to Jason, hinted in line 13, silver (golden) fleece, a comparing of Bible to Greek myth.
[8] Breakfast:: the original word in Bible is breaketh, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." The priest wanted to have breakfast, not an angel.
[11] Stranger:: the man would not tell Jacob his name.
[13] silver fleeces:: the clothes worn by the priest, a hinted by Jason's golden fleece.
[14, 15] "Peniel", bewildered:: a mistaken of penil by bewildered Jacob, seen after the fleeces swung; or penile.
[16] he had worsted God:: the simpleton thought he had defeated God, but actually a priest.