Thursday, June 11, 2015

In the Time of Lions


White Lion - Look into Your Soul
by Woxys at deviantart.com

I sit in the cave.
It is thousands of years ago,
in the time when people and lions 
lived together in caves
and could talk to each other.

It is the time of cold and famine,
and humans are
on the brink of extinction
when the white Lion King comes,
blue-eyed, regal, imperious
....and kind.

We sit in silence for a time,
our thoughts connecting,
We are thinking to each other 
about the humans dying.

Then he looks into my  eyes, deeply,
nods his head,
lays his big body down before me,
offers me his neck.

He is telling me he gives himself,
so we may eat
and not die.

We are both beautiful species then.

And so many years later, 
we repay him for saving us
by destroying the entire world.
Now it is lions
who are on the brink of extinction.

What must they be thinking?


For Corey's prompt at Real Toads: to write about caves. The story I relate is from one of the best books I have ever read The Mystery of the White Lions, by Linda Tucker. The African shaman Credo Mutwa relayed this legend to her, that when humans were on the brink of extinction, in the time when lions and humans shared caves together, the lion offered himself to the humans to eat, so they would survive. And now  hunters shoot lions for $40,000 a lion in canned "hunting" compounds. 

The book tells of Ingwavuma, leader of his pride, cornered by hunters in one of these compounds. When he saw there was no escape, he did not cower. He lifted his head proudly, roared and walked towards the hunter, bravely, and was shot.

I have such a hard time with human behavior.

20 comments:

  1. What an interesting book, Sherry! And so very sad about humans' treatment of lions today!

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  2. How sad and heart breaking ~ Those lions are so regal and brave & how callous are we to kill and take away their homes ~

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  3. The poem flows beautifully and the story behind it is so sad, when will humans be really be " humans" in true sense.

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  4. I would offer my neck if it would help to save the world.

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  5. A poignant tale of truth... if only we could save them from extinction! Well penned :)

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  7. Your poem and notes tear into my heart - it's so sad...I wish we would all be one...like-minded and thinking together creatures. Thank you, for this beautifully moving piece of art, Sherry. ♥

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  8. The legend feels like we are repaying our friends of nature in the worst of ways.. I feel sad and moved by your words Sherry.

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  9. What a beautiful story with a very important moral for all of us.

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  10. Oh gah. Humans are so horrible I have a hard time even imagining what you are writing about. Thank you, Sherry.

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  11. You and me both....it is a shame that we still allow things like canned hunting to go on. Makes me sick. Great poem Sherry, I loved every last line. Thanks for coming out!

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  12. What indeed? We are surely the most dangerous species!

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  13. is it so difficult to be humane i sometimes wonder .....such a moving poem Sherry....

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  14. You explored a very different cave here...

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  15. Those eyes--they are full of a wisdom we have lost, and you paint the ugliness of what we have put in its place all too clearly here Sherry. We have fallen from grace, indeed.

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  16. I long for the time when humans and animals can communicate more effectively. Our poor lions are making headlines these days, simply because of the arrogance of people who do not respect their territory (or at least their rights to territory).

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  17. A majestic animal - I follow a man named Kevin Richardson. He is known as the "Lion Whisperer" You may enjoy googling him. There are only a little over 15k lions left in the wild...

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  18. Ohhhh. Just, simply, this:
    "We are both beautiful species then."

    YES.

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  19. Agree with Rosemary and all the comments--we are pretty poor stewards of the planet. Thanks, Sherry. k.

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  20. Oh Sherry. This makes me so sad. I feel such a connection to all animals. To hear how they are slaughtered breaks my heart.

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