The King And The Beggar Poem by Bradley Dean

In a mountain of gold
There was a palace of stone
Which housed a mighty king
Who could answer any question

The kingdom knew that the King was miserable
His father had passed away years before
Leaving his Kingdom to his son
To reign as he would please

He sat on his throne all day
Undefeated
Until one day
A beggar came to him

The King looked at the beggar
With a merciful eye
'He needs food! ' He proclaimed
And his servants gave the beggar food

But the beggar frowned.
He spake not a single word
But looked at the King
And shed a single tear

The King thought, slightly disturbed
But resolute, he proclaimed
'He must need medicine! '
And his doctors gave him their finest treatment

But the beggar again, frowned
And spake no words still
But again looked at the King
And shed another tear

Looking at the two tiny pools of water on the floor,
The King was puzzled, but still determined
'He must need shelter! '
And the royal architects fashioned him a house most beautiful

The King looked at the beggar
Who shed a third tear
The splash of the water
Could be heard like a pindrop

The King was stunned
He had no idea
His mind was contorted with knots
A problem of impossible dimensions

The Beggar looked at the King, waiting
Waiting for his next supposition
The King looked back into the Beggars heart
Looking for the answer

The King, not accepting defeat, tried one last solution
'He.. needs power..'
And the Beggar was made Chief Advisor to the King
With equal power to the King in every way

But again
Another tear adorned the marble floor of the palace
The King this time said nothing
And the Beggar spoke

'All I need from you, Majesty
Is for you to look at me differently'
And at that moment the King realized
He looked into the Beggar's heart and saw the answer

The King pronounced, humbled
'Let him be our friend'
The beggar smiled
His eyes shone like the sun

And suddenly the beggar transformed
His straggly hair received life
And grew into golden locks glowing with beauty
His whole body radiated light

His face received youth
The scars and marks left
And then the King recognized who this was
And cried as he beheld his Father, who spoke these words:

'Son, you grew too proud so I came back to save you
Not all lifes difficulties can be answered in material ways
Look within before you look without,
For you saw me as a beggar when I was your father'

'Leave these possessions; they will burden you
Plant seeds of friendship and love
No house or wealth can buy a man happiness
Be as I am, and you will be free'

The father looked upon his son, knowing his mission was fulfilled
And then he vanished
Leaving nothing behind
Save it were those four tiny splashes of water

There is now a happy man who was once a King
Who lives in a hut, in a field
He has a family and friends now
And thinks about how he got them, every single day