Watermelon Seeds

SHERRY SHENODA

According to Coptic oral tradition

when the Theotokos, the Mother 

with the Christ Child received water

at the hand of a watermelon farmer

embedding smooth black seeds

into freshly furrowed fields

she paused to bless him and his crop.

The next morning pursuers intending

to kill the Child questioned the farmer

but turned back, foiled, for Yes,

Mother and Child passed this way

he said, while I was yet planting seeds.

He swept his arm out over the field

ripe with heavy-bellied dark green 

watermelons ready for harvest.