From next (1988), "my dream about God" Summary

This dream poem lays out images of the poet's dream of God, presumably a sleeping dream. The first image may be familiar to many, an image where God looks like a grandfather or father. God wears the poet's grandfather's hat and he is tall, more so than the poet's "last" uncle. God listens, presumably to prayers, by leaning forward in a chair. Oddly, the poet's father cups God's chin, and the hand resembles her father's hand, damaged from years of hard work, correlative to "creation" here. God's fingers drum on His knee just as her father's did.

The last two stanzas address the poet's relationship to God. She says that she merits His attentions because she remains at home "sewing," speaking so low, in the womanly manner, that He...