BY ALEM HAILU
While walking
In his garden
One morning fine
Seeing a snake
He felt fear
Galloping down
His spine.
As a
Camouflaging trick
Attired a green silk
While zigzagging in
The grass thick
He should have
Squashed its skull
With a walking stick.
But he preferred
To walk away
“Let it there stay
I better
Keep it at bay.”
When he
Came back home
At night
He learnt he has
Lost his son
That suffered
A snake’s bite.
Misplaced mercy
Could backfire
To seek peace
With a snake
One must not tire,
For it will drag one
Into a quagmire
Obligating paying
A price higher.
Ask for mercy
An offender can’t
It is also not right
Unless s/he
Is repentant.
Also forget not
“Strike before
You are struck!”
Could afford one
Prowess luck.
If
The aforementioned
Advice you got,
“Hit when
The iron is hot.”
Modesty to
The heinous
And lazy
Is equally crazy.
If a human snake
Buy time
No doubt it
Will commit
Further crime.
The Ethiopian Herald January 27/2021
