A Wise Sultan Poem by Freeyad Ibrahim

By Freeyad Ibrahim

A just and wise Sultan
had sent some of his soldiers
to buy a handful of salt
in the city market, with speed.

They were at a barbecue party
for the prey they hunted, with heed.

And the chief of his army said to him:
"The price of salt is not worth a mustard seed,
so why don't you take it for a silver (dirham) ?
The Sultan said,
"Indeed...
but if the ruler ordered his soldiers
to pick one apple
from the tree in an orchard,
to eat…not for greed,
his soldiers would uproot the whole trees
from the roots, branches, flowers and seed,
in arrogance and hypocrisy
to show loyalty, not for need.
If I do not pay the price of
a handful of salt to the salt -seller today complete,
this matter would become a constitution
and a blessed and stable tradition
for the country tomorrow
It becomes one of the rules decreed! '

**
Freyad Hugo
(Dutch writer, poet)