Poem 040, Sonnet 15: Baby Poem by Samer Madbak

Sleep baby, sleep, now that your crib is warm
Your body swaddled in gratification
Enjoy it now, the calm before the storm,
Before you meet the face of tribulation.

Sleep child for soon you’ll ope those tender eyes
To recreant mankind, to draining care
Your peace will fade, those dulcet lullabies
Shall modulate to keynotes of despair.

Slumber while yet concealed from vile mishap
Unknown to pain, Oh you shall wake tomorrow
And vainly nose about your mother’s pap
But only suckle at the breast of sorrow.

Sleep now, those pinions, yet unfledged, must soon
Flutter against life’s merciless typhoon.


Beirut
September 18th 1988