Little Donkey Poem by Gert Strydom

When the monarch of Moab
did go to the fortune teller Balaam at Pethor
who did possess extraordinary occult powers
they did persuade him to curse Israel,

you donkey carry did him
and an angel of God
did stand in your way as an opposing force.

You saw that angel
and did swerve out three times
to avoid the angel
killing Balaam

and frightened did press
yourself and Balaam against a wall
where Balaam did hit you with a stick
being furious
when you did go and lie down beneath him.

Even when you did speak to him
and asked why he was unfairly hitting you,
he was not surprised
but said that if he had a sword
he would have killed you

and when God opened his eyes
he saw an angel
with a drawn sword
standing ready
to kill him

whereupon Balaam did bow down
and fell on the ground
on his face
at which the angel told Balaam
that You little donkey had saved his life three times.

Balaam travelled on you further
and did three times bless the Israelites
and the heathen king Balak
did become so angry
that he clasped his hands together.