vayigash II

his brothers can't know Joseph laid the trap
nor even that he isn't lying dead
to set up Benjamin to take the rap
for which Yehuda pleads to serve instead
it's Joseph--playing God--directs this show
and Judah gets to ponder a new pit
to sin again and none need ever know
that as a brother, he'd been so unfit
no restitution can give back the years
elapsed in which the fam'ly was estranged
and yet teshuvah prompts a flood of tears
when each acknowledges the other's changed
with time and life, Yehuda's grown some sense
the shirking putz steps forward as a mensch