Friday, June 4, 2010

Some African animals visit

I am an ant. Marching on my many little legs, holding a grain of sugar in one hand. In a line, with the other hundred ants, I am nameless. My grain is important, though. Without it, baby ants will go hungry.

I am a cockroach in your kitchen cupboard, indestructible. I will find my way in, make it home, and love it. I deserve it.

I am a soaring Fish Eagle, watching from above, circling, protecting.

I am a battery chicken, my feathers never grown properly, my claws never reaching the paradise of dust. The automated lights keep me up beyond my bedtime, my wake time, my anytime. I see the light from outside under the shed door, though.

I am a lion, brave and proud. My mane shines in the African sun as I roar, and small animals skelter away, frightened of my might. I will kill only if I'm hungry, or if you make me angry, or to protect the ones I love.

I am a laughing hyena, giggling at your jokes, sharing your secrets, finding the funny side. I may not be beautiful, but I have a sense of humour, and a hell of a laugh!

I am an elephant, I don't forget. That sadness in my eyes is from what I've seen, the tears are not in your imagination. They are my tragedy, pouring out of me in rivers. I trumpet and wag my ears, to look cross but, really, on the inside, I am sad.

I look across the African plains from my cliff-edge hold, my fingernails clawing into the face, clinging on. Above me, the enormous blue sky, the sun smiling warmly. Below, me a sheer drop and then, pure beauty. Keep clinging.

3 comments:

Angela said...

You are all of them, Shiny, yes! I love to follow your thoughts and feelings. If we all understood that we are always the other one! Much less heartache would occur.

Lis said...

Wow! Very powerful!

Shiny said...

Geli - too true!

Lis - thank you. And thank you for popping in

x