Fadel K Jabr

Our Monarch, who has the magnificence

of a flower





He has no equal among the angels

He has no comparable among the kings

He was unrivaled and will remain so

Until his equivalent comes.

Then we will give him

The crown and the garland.

Early very morning

Our venerable monarch wakes up

Flies by his wondrous carriage

Towards the meadows of the sun

And when he returns,

He wakes us tenderly:

Your breakfast is ready,

The sun honey must be eaten fresh.

Every noon

Our venerable monarch disappears

From public places,

To be by himself

In front of his emotion’s mirror,

To look at the average of our joy,

Then he becomes absorbed in a deep prayer,

Because our production of happiness

Is more than one kingdom needs.

Every evening

Our venerable monarch tours

All streets and alleys

Towns and villages

To make sure of the non-existence

Of stray sorrows,

And dream robbers

He does not go to bed

Until we all are sleeping

And laying beside each of us

Is a beautiful dream.

Once upon his life

Our venerable monarch felt sad

When one of us died,

Because he had too much of joy.

Once upon his life

Our venerable monarch got angry

When his doctors advised him,

To sleep four hours instead of three

From the daily twenty-four hours.

Once upon his life

Our venerable monarch died,

When he realized that he was living

Only in a bright spot

Of the human imagination.