An Apology

Mahmood shares with us his reflections on the attributes of donkeys!

Lately, I saw a TV video asking people to donate 3 pounds to help donkeys. The video showed donkeys carrying heavy loads and falling to the ground because of these loads and exhaustion.

At the same period, I received an email from a friend in Iraq telling the story of a donkey in an American military camp used to carry ammunition boxes inside the camp. An American officer admired this animal. When his service ended, and before returning home, he managed to have this donkey transferred to his farm in America. This cost him a good sum of money. Photographs of this donkey in his habitat in America showed the nice stable and the joy of the retired officer. Many Iraqis envied the donkey for his good fortune.

Iraqis call the donkey 'patient.' Patience is a virtue. Yet, looking in the dictionary, the donkey is linked to many derogatory words and descriptions. The same is mentioned about the mule. While the horse, belonging to the same family of animals, is treated differently. Owners of horses care well for them, and some keep records of their ancestry.

Here are some proverbs about donkeys:

A donkey is a donkey even if he is raised among horses.

If an ass goes travelling, he will not come home a horse.

An ass must be tied where his master will have him.

The 'suffering' and humiliation of donkeys prompted me to write this poem:

An Apology

Here I want to declare

Humans have not been fair,

Neglecting donkeys' good share

In carrying the burden of human welfare.

This humble and tolerant ass

Without reluctance served his boss,

Yet the master went on unaware

Of his donkey's suffering and pain.