The Prince and the Grasshopper
February 9th 2008 00:49
Belac the Prince was mighty in spirit and Reppoh his adventuring mate.
They woke one morning on a brand new day, just bursting to get out through the gate.
In Adventure Land they wandered with excitement rising high,
They marvelled at the flora and they marvelled at the sky.
They marvelled at a million things they passed along the way
The houses that some people built, the fashion of the day,
The cars that raced in clouds of dust to distant dreaming lands,
The assembling of clever musicians who could orchestrate in bands.
Belac gazed at houses architected in great style.
Ill build one just like that he cackled with a white toothed smile.
It will be the very thing for an adventurers family retreat.
Its tables will be overflowing with every good thing to eat.
I wish that I could have a house cried Reppoh loud and clear.
Id love to have my children growing up there year by year.
I dont know how to get one though. The finance problems tough.
The moneys hard to come by and I never have enough.
Ill be back before too long was Belacs loud refrain.
This is the place Ive dreamed of and Ill fix to make it mine.
Inside will be palatial, fitted out for a princess
And a flock of charming children, ponies, toys and happy guests.
It would be nice if I were rich and I could have one too.
Id like to build mine right by yours. But what am I to do?
Id have to be a lawyer to afford a thing like that.
But I dont care for study. Im a hippy and thats flat.
I dont like the straight-jacket of a disciplined working life. .
I wasnt built for pushing through this circumstantial strife.
I wish it werent so difficult to manage all these things.
Youre lucky to be blessed so much. I cant pull all those strings.
Well, shake a leg quoth Belac in his direct kind of manner.
You are gifted just as I am. Theres no need for all this stammer.
Ill be planting olives on this hill next month. If youll agree,
You can work. Ill pay you well. Youll soon be building next to me
Oh no! Thats too demeaning and the sun is very hot.
Its all right for you with the tractor, but I think Id rather not.
The problem is that Im not built for the days out in the sun.
That work is so repetitive. It isnt any fun.
So Belac went his merry way in empire building mode,
While Reppoh cringed among his friends and shared with them his load
Of worry that, while others reaped a harvest they had earned,
He couldnt make first base and they mourned with him as he moaned.
He offered me a job, he griped to friends he had a few!
While he sits in his tractor telling me what Im to do!
Who does he think he is? Im not his servant. Whatever next?
And he swaggered off to have a pint and send his mate a text.
Prince Belac built his house upon the hill in sweat and tears
As he hit his thumb with hammers and got past financial fears.
His orchard grew and flourished and his growing children now
Would take some food to Reppoh who was pining, very low.
Reppohs friends agreed that when the Princes ship came in
With imports from an island for the market in the town,
That he should pay and share his wealth with everybody there,
And thus hed help to raise them up in times of their despair.
They set about an action plan to raise a lobby group
To shame him into paying for their schools and other scoop.
Compassion flew around for Reppoh and his friends in trouble.
Belac built a school to teach their children how to rumble.
He had a vision glorious concerning what theyd learn,
Including principles of ethics, hard work. discipline.
The teaching of core subjects would be diligent and keen
So each growing child would have the chance of vision and a dream.
Reppoh then elected to have a say in education
Deciding what the school should teach his puny little children.
Hed teach them how to lobby for help to alleviate their misery,
And how they had rights to share the wealth of other peoples industry.
They should not have any principles and ethics brought upon them
That other people lived by. And the new concept of freedom
Would not limit a child to listening to a bossy teacher.
They should have fun at all costs. Isnt fun lifes major feature?
Well, Reppoh had a lot of friends who liked to see things his way.
It was comfortable and easy, with no major responsibility.
His children grew believing fun is lifes great purpose given
And theirs by right (theyd lots of rights) in their crippled kind of haven.
But Belac taught his tribe to work and dream and make things happen.
God gave you talents, he used to say, Hes expecting you to use them.
He designed, in us, from the very first, a people built to prosper
And the more we do, the more Hell show the opportunities on offer.
We will take care of those who are unable to work and toil,
Whose weakness truly limits them. They are annointed with the precious oil.
But dont succumb to compassion for the man who makes excuses.
He may learn something when he suffers the poor me consequences.
Questions for your study group.
Reppoh adopts his new identity (name) in the fourth verse. What do you think that name might be? Clue: It certainly isnt Rich.
Reppoh makes excuses. What are his excuses?
What differences in attitude are there between the two men?
Reppoh exaggerates his position in describing his ineptitude. How does he do this?
Who is affected by Reppohs behaviour?
What effect does Reppoh have on the people around him?
How does this poem as a whole speak to you?
They woke one morning on a brand new day, just bursting to get out through the gate.
In Adventure Land they wandered with excitement rising high,
They marvelled at the flora and they marvelled at the sky.
They marvelled at a million things they passed along the way
The houses that some people built, the fashion of the day,
The cars that raced in clouds of dust to distant dreaming lands,
The assembling of clever musicians who could orchestrate in bands.
Belac gazed at houses architected in great style.
Ill build one just like that he cackled with a white toothed smile.
It will be the very thing for an adventurers family retreat.
Its tables will be overflowing with every good thing to eat.
I wish that I could have a house cried Reppoh loud and clear.
Id love to have my children growing up there year by year.
I dont know how to get one though. The finance problems tough.
The moneys hard to come by and I never have enough.
Ill be back before too long was Belacs loud refrain.
This is the place Ive dreamed of and Ill fix to make it mine.
Inside will be palatial, fitted out for a princess
And a flock of charming children, ponies, toys and happy guests.
It would be nice if I were rich and I could have one too.
Id like to build mine right by yours. But what am I to do?
Id have to be a lawyer to afford a thing like that.
But I dont care for study. Im a hippy and thats flat.
I dont like the straight-jacket of a disciplined working life. .
I wasnt built for pushing through this circumstantial strife.
I wish it werent so difficult to manage all these things.
Youre lucky to be blessed so much. I cant pull all those strings.
Well, shake a leg quoth Belac in his direct kind of manner.
You are gifted just as I am. Theres no need for all this stammer.
Ill be planting olives on this hill next month. If youll agree,
You can work. Ill pay you well. Youll soon be building next to me
Oh no! Thats too demeaning and the sun is very hot.
Its all right for you with the tractor, but I think Id rather not.
The problem is that Im not built for the days out in the sun.
That work is so repetitive. It isnt any fun.
So Belac went his merry way in empire building mode,
While Reppoh cringed among his friends and shared with them his load
Of worry that, while others reaped a harvest they had earned,
He couldnt make first base and they mourned with him as he moaned.
He offered me a job, he griped to friends he had a few!
While he sits in his tractor telling me what Im to do!
Who does he think he is? Im not his servant. Whatever next?
And he swaggered off to have a pint and send his mate a text.
Prince Belac built his house upon the hill in sweat and tears
As he hit his thumb with hammers and got past financial fears.
His orchard grew and flourished and his growing children now
Would take some food to Reppoh who was pining, very low.
Reppohs friends agreed that when the Princes ship came in
With imports from an island for the market in the town,
That he should pay and share his wealth with everybody there,
And thus hed help to raise them up in times of their despair.
They set about an action plan to raise a lobby group
To shame him into paying for their schools and other scoop.
Compassion flew around for Reppoh and his friends in trouble.
Belac built a school to teach their children how to rumble.
He had a vision glorious concerning what theyd learn,
Including principles of ethics, hard work. discipline.
The teaching of core subjects would be diligent and keen
So each growing child would have the chance of vision and a dream.
Reppoh then elected to have a say in education
Deciding what the school should teach his puny little children.
Hed teach them how to lobby for help to alleviate their misery,
And how they had rights to share the wealth of other peoples industry.
They should not have any principles and ethics brought upon them
That other people lived by. And the new concept of freedom
Would not limit a child to listening to a bossy teacher.
They should have fun at all costs. Isnt fun lifes major feature?
Well, Reppoh had a lot of friends who liked to see things his way.
It was comfortable and easy, with no major responsibility.
His children grew believing fun is lifes great purpose given
And theirs by right (theyd lots of rights) in their crippled kind of haven.
But Belac taught his tribe to work and dream and make things happen.
God gave you talents, he used to say, Hes expecting you to use them.
He designed, in us, from the very first, a people built to prosper
And the more we do, the more Hell show the opportunities on offer.
We will take care of those who are unable to work and toil,
Whose weakness truly limits them. They are annointed with the precious oil.
But dont succumb to compassion for the man who makes excuses.
He may learn something when he suffers the poor me consequences.
Questions for your study group.
Reppoh adopts his new identity (name) in the fourth verse. What do you think that name might be? Clue: It certainly isnt Rich.
Reppoh makes excuses. What are his excuses?
What differences in attitude are there between the two men?
Reppoh exaggerates his position in describing his ineptitude. How does he do this?
Who is affected by Reppohs behaviour?
What effect does Reppoh have on the people around him?
How does this poem as a whole speak to you?
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Comment by Helen's House
on Jesus Camp
Dear Kleonaptra,
Thank you for your challenge. I love to give account of my faith.
Hate operates llike a black/grey colour filter on everything including logic. As a Christian I earnestly try to obey Jesus and love people whoever they are, and whether or not I agree with their attitudes and actions. People are to be cared for, but also held accountable for their actions - hence our justice departments.
It is true that Christians wanted an alternative to pagan feastdays and took to using some of them for the worship of the Lord. I don't have a problem with that.
We agree to differ on Hallowe'en and Harry Potter. My comment here is that enjoyment is not the arbiter of reality. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the Titanic until it hit the iceberg! If only they had known!
Pagan worshippers and atheists seem to have a field day belittling Jesus, who, after all, is the only one able to perform miracles and rise from the dead (well witnessed and attested facts, not myths) and whose word should therefore command more attention.
We shall indeed all give account of ourselves to our Maker one day when His justice and mercy will prevail as He sees fit. He said "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy" He gets the last say! Jesus shows us how to delight Him with our love. We have the freewill and choice of doing that or taking whatever comes. There is love and there is accountability.
PS. I did try a few other religions. That's all they were - just belief systems. Jesus is alive and loves us! Suits me!