POEM: BEWARE

 

Warn that stream

Bent on flowing to the desert

That the desert only takes

It never gives

Let the stream beware

Warn that cow

Bent on going to the abattoir

That the abattoir only takes

It never gives

Let the cow beware

Warn that wood

Bent on confronting the fire

That the fire only takes

It never gives

Let the wood beware.

From an African prose sanctioning traditional warning.

anonymous