Suzanne Nielsen
Suzanne Nielsen grew up in St. Paul's East Side, a working class community,
the setting for most of her short stories. She writes poetry,
fiction, essays, screenplays and memoir. She teaches writing at
Metropolitan State University and her work has appeared in various literary
magazines internationally in all-of-the-above genres. In addition to
teaching, Suzanne is a wife and mother, a doctoral student at Hamline
University, as well as the owner of two dogs. View
her monthly column, Cool Dead People at www.doubledarepress.com
The job of Job
Mid-morning in May the doorbell rings.
Cops, I think. Someone¹s complained about
the dogs
the kids
my muffler no wait,
witnesses for Jehovah
fill the front steps
Bibles in hands that adorn thumb rings
witnesses of color
they are brave to enter the realms of
the suburbs and for this reason alone
I am patient while they read from Job
insisting He had the answer to
why good things happen to bad people
no wait,
why bad things happen to good people
either way
that¹s quite a question for even Job
Such young witnesses, one under duress
the one with an overbite.
The other, the one of color,
she¹s a true witness now
offering me information on diabetes
I thank them after their seven-minute revival
I thank them, close the door and wonder if they
think I¹m fat or if I have a diabetic look in my eye
no wait,
they¹re just doing their job
for Job, for Jehovah.
