I don’t care if that donkey
spoke to Balaam or not.
Let the scribes and scholars
bray over that.
On a mission,
tempted by Balak’s riches,
Balaam blessed the Israelites
instead of cursed.
My issue is beating the donkey.
Because the poor creature balked
when he saw the Angel,
which Balaam did not see,
the prophet, in a rage,
pummeled his poor donkey—
three times—
with a whip, stick and fists
each time the donkey cowered
before the fearsome Angel.
The donkey,
his loyal beast of burden,
had never disobeyed her master,
asked why he beat her.
Balaam apologized
when they were back at the stable:
“I am sorry.
I did not see the Angel you saw
my good friend.
You did and suffered.
Why I did not see it
is in the Lord's hands.
No fault of mine.”
The donkey could no longer speak.
She would have said:
“Never beat me.
Avoid the sorrow later.”
The donkey forgave her Master
and served faithfully,
died at a ripe old age.
Neither saw an angel again.
There were no more beatings.
But on that road, Balaam cursed
instead of blessed.
Given no guidance,
his humanity chose.
Originally published in Communicator's League