to be honorable

the sayings of kings:
by living wisely a son makes his father glad
by living foolishly he saddens his mother

an interpretation

by observing his son’s integrity
a father is able to hold his head high
his son’s successes seem to break
the curses of his own failures

for a loving father does not wish
his son to suffer as he did
although lessons can be learned through hardship
how wonderful it is when learned through companionship
a father knows strength
through stubborn independence erodes a man

a son’s foolishness saddens his mother
for she still sees the innocence
of the little boy she once carried
she does not belittle him in this
but stores memories of his ability to care

to see him suffer through chosen wandering
is like seeing him stripped of his identity
he seems to have forgotten
how treasured he is

so, sons, be wise
in this way you love yourselves
as the best of fathers and the best of mothers
by honoring that legacy, a parentage scrubbed clean of past offense, set free
you inevitably honor yourselves