All hail the mule
Because although your eyes blink slow
And your snout droops down
Because although you are regarded as nothing more
Than someone, something
To toil under the sun
Like another piece of machinery
Like another simple beast
What they do not see is that
You persevere like no other
You push through the labor with your head high
And your hooves steady
All hail the mule
Because you are determined to
Keep going
No matter what
Every day you take a load and carry it
Up the steep slopes of the mountain
And you do it all over again
Hours upon hours upon hours
Of work are placed on your back
But you do not falter, and you do not delay
Your pace balanced against the rocky hillside
Your stride confident and steadfast
Every step of the way
Resilient against the drudgery of your daily life
All hail the mule
Your legs brawny and staunch
Your attitude stubborn yet patient
Like a donkey
Your stature like a peasant’s stallion
Your coat a deep, shiny mahogany
Like a horse
Your parents gave you their traits
But humans gave you your name
Obstinate, they say
Dumb, they say
But little do they know
Of your strength
And your worth
That you have proven for so long
Yet is always ignored in favor of clichés
So I say this to all
All hail the mule
The burdened liegeman
The humble creature
Always overshadowed by the beautiful and the regal
Always pushed to one side but
Always doing its task with diligence and effort
It may not be exquisite, and it may not be noble
But the mule is tough and mighty
A peasant’s stallion indeed,
All hail the mule.