Listen To Your Father

Of the wood of Lebanon,
The voice of a turtledove;
Of the mountain of leopards,
The honey from the honeycomb;
Of the fruits of their doings,
The voice of an eloquent orator;
Of the harp and the lyre,
The skilful mind of the artisan;
Of the tambourine and the flute,
Like the sins of Sodom;
Listen to your father when he speaks.
Of the garden of nuts,
The fragrance of apples;
Of the shaking of the Olive tree,
The ships of Tarshish;
Of the lofiiness of man,
Like the mountain of spices!
Listen to your father when he talks.
Of the waters of the Euphrates River,
Like the wells of salvation;
Of the top of the head,
Like the sole of the foot;
Of the roaring of the sea,
Like the rose of Sharon;
Of the children of one'syouth,
A message like an old male goat;
Of the sacrifice of fools,
Like the tears of the oppresssed;
Of the interpretation of a thing,
Like the son of a noble birth;
Of the works of man's hand,
Like the sun which rules by day;
Of the root that brings forth gall and wormwood,
The moon and the stars rule by night;
Listen to your father who begot you.
Of beautiful ornaments on your neck,
Like the virgin Miriam;
Of the Topaz of Ethiopia,
Like the springs of life from your mind;
Do listen to your father always.

poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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