THE TIRED, HUNGRY DONKEY

Poor donkey, you search for your food;
Why don't you look and see your load ?
You suffer from its heavy weight.
It is the barley that you eat.

You wait the mercy of your man.
Stretch your head and eat what you can.
It's shameful to have on your back
The thing that you most badly lack.

I am so clever, stupid ***.
No man can ever me harass
Except for people who are rich;
I hear their words and do their wish.

I bend to my boss and accept
What he believes and his concept.
I also bow to what strong men
Impose on me and don't complain.

I keep my silence when a lout
Begins to speak and tends to shout.
When one of high post speaks to me,
I just say, "Yes, sir," and agree.

All other men l answer back,
And what they say l never hark.
The donkey laughs and runs away
So glad to carry his barley.

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
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