For the Children

On the brow of manhood I bore you Dreaming of a successor to my throne Invested wind and echo full of dew Native prince, that was ever all I own Knowledge and experience to make Wealth out of nothing, like stars do Aggregating gas into a jewelled lake. Knowledge with a good head figures Images that can a kingdom shape Youth has its dreams, age its rigors Odinkwa, fears fang the will of escape Study and apply your art to labor Honest and committed to vision will Increase the coffers when love stands still. So Sriya, onto you now my fiery daughter Rising where the comet falls still I pray you will not tremble before the water Yearning when you have razed the hill Ancient customs cuddles more than laughter Years of time against sweet logic tell Undo the rope the boat will drift Liberate the bird and its sorrows swell Innate to love truth is a gift Sweet lady, that parents give, and court Singeing wrath for sublime praise And yet, my love unaltered, holds to port. Zealous as the wind, you my second girl Only Pandora was more curious in the world Yesterday you scared looking at the box Answerless I stood, below the scraggy rocks Keeping faith, while you were keeling away Anxiety driven amidst the cloud of hawks Matters not that you are sparrow, and the lay Exultant echoes more worth in humble walks Kameka, than in clouds to spin and play Allow me then to invite you to the narrow way. Anwar, none like you remind me more Nature is wild and beauty pure, children Will become the tree of parents seed, core Analogies to anxieties riven and given Rush not where the raging rapids churn. Anwar Amilcar, I named you for heroes Mentors of my boyhood hungering Instead, looking parents' dreams as zeros List your pack with the wild waves sundering Crystals in lambent light fluttering bright Against the temple post of blind desire Ranking ego against the wood of spirit's fire. Asante, my darling I shall always keep Some prayer like a candle burning As angels answering watch your fragile sleep Nourishing your soul against fate's yearning Tomorrow will today come to pass Excellence is more than the image in a glass Invite the soul to sit among the weak Necessity has undone more than it has invented Do not deny the heart its will to speak Impress of wisdom to defend the tormented Raise a standard, shelter them and reap A blessing for their love, a joy to keep.