Fadel K Jabr

The Cradle Song



**For Elaf, Beth and the rest of the angels**

Grow up, my son, grow up

Slip out of your diaper and your parent’s arms

Crawl throughout the house

Taking along your little birds, gazelles, and angels

Cooing your heavenly coos in the turns and corners

Contemplating the colorful toys, song, and faces

That will stay with you forever

***

Grow up, my son, grow up

Give up crawling on your knees like lizard

And stand on your feet like a knight

For there are many high shelves for you to discover.

***

Grow up, my son, grow up

Why the continuous crying?

Relax, my son, and rest

Fill your eyes with deep sleep

And with all the wings of your child imagination

Dream, dream, dream.

***

Grow up, my son, grow up

It is not enough to stand up on your soft feet

To say that you are a hero

Rather you must take steps gracefully

In the courtyard and the garden

For there are many butterflies, stars, and rainbows

Waiting to shower you with sons.

***

Grow up, my son, grow up

What is this turtle like walk?

You must run in the meadows

Racing the wind, gazelles, and birds

For there are many flowers to dance with.

***

Grow up, my son, grow up

What is this sadness covering your face?

Throw a way your worries

And be happy like no one before you

For in this life

There is something worth living for.

***

Grow up, my son, grow up

What is this lightness that plays with you?

Protect yourself from what could shame you, my son

Be wise, for wisdom is security

Know that lightness is valued lightly

And nothing is worse than to sleep disdained.

***

Grow up, my son, grow up

I know the source of these hot tears

A man shouldn’t reveal his crying

But if inescapable,

Have it be singing, washing the heart

Sing, my son, sing

Until your body becomes transparent with singing.

***

Grow up, my son, grow up

You must plant many men and women

And when they ripen in the farms of beauty

They must then release their great anthem

To extinguish the wars

On the chest of our mother, the earth.

***

Grow up, my son, grow up

There are beautiful countries for you to love

Sincere friendships for you to cherish

A great love to live

Agonizing pains to suffer

Large disappointments to swallow

Friends passing by to forget

Wonderful memories to remember

Expect that which you don’t expect

If you want to rival the horizon with your

shoulders,

Make sure your feet are fixed on the ground

And when you grow up,

Never forget to compare yourself to the height of

trees

Not to the length of reptiles

Grow up, my son, grow up.

***