**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.
***
|