At the end of his life, Job got his cattle back and became a
Happy Man, but all Jesus got was the Resurrection.
—from a student response to a test question
What were they like, Job’s cattle?
Were they dry stock? milkers?
Did he scrutinise them with contented, proprietary interest
while complacently caressing spots
where the boils had been?
Did his comforters eye with envy
a Happy Man?
a man blessed with such cattle?
God only knows, I suppose,
so go ask God.
All He got was the Resurrection, of course,
but He’s up there in Heaven with Himself
where He/They remember Job’s cattle
and remember his boils
and remember those faithful who witnessed the Resurrection
believing, perhaps, in their limited vision,
it was quite enough.