The Lion
Gracefully he paws
Around his cage, then stretches his maw
Occasionally causing the children to look on with awe
At the lion in the zoo cage.

Botanists and Mr. Audubon look about
At his strength and wonder why he doesn’t get out
Instead of allowing zookeepers to shell out minimal amounts
Of the meat, the stuff that curbs his food crave.

And behind eyes, one can’t deny
The pity this scene one’s heart can supply.
And the day it’s done
No activist one can object to the treatment of I.

Free to roam, free to live, free to fail,
Not another being adding or subtracting wind from my sail,
Not another day being lived with a stale regret,
Thinking of things I haven’t done yet,

And the lion will do what a lion does,
Living as it chooses, free, because
Freedom is given to all of us
As a gift from the God above.