I dreamed a dream of lions from the stars,
white lions with lessons in their eyes of blue,
come to give us a message that is true:
all other lives matter as much as ours.
They are so few; canned hunters gun them down
For thirty grand and a large piece of their souls.
To save the earth, it's time to play our roles.
White lions are calling. Can you hear the sound?
The shaman says our fate is linked with theirs.
White lions are few, and when the last one dies
he says the sun will fall out of the skies,
too late then for our planetary prayers.
Only a handful of small cubs remain.
Pray they survive, so all may live again.
The white lions of Timbavati live in a sanctuary in Africa, where they live wild and free but are protected by the Global White Lion Protection Trust, founded by Linda Tucker, who wrote of the white lions and their connection with man and with the stars in The Mystery of the White Lions, one of the most fascinating books I have ever read.
for Bjorn's prompt at dVerse: to write a sonnet.
I love it... though there are only ten lines, not fourteen.
ReplyDeleteOh yikes, my bad. Will fix it.
DeleteThis is a fascinating piece Sherry. I enjoyed reading it! I lived in Cincinnati many years ago, when the zoo there had very rare white tigers. That's been more thsn 30 years so I have no idea regarding their fate?
ReplyDeleteoh, wow, for a sonnet (I almost wrote *snotnet*; I just woke from a nap) - well, I didn't even notice the form. Content had me snared - perhaps entrance - oh blue eyes of the skies -
ReplyDelete(I was just thinking, how a sonnet could jump up and down screaming its name at me, and I'd be oblivious) - and again, I almost typed 'mane' - that luxurious coat ...
fascinating creatures, but then, most "white" types are, and to see them in such powerful beings, for their size, strength etc., it is no wonder at all that they hold such a mythological significance ...
so yup, I'm a total sucker for this poem, even if it cries a dire warning -
I hope they wander in more than dreams in larger numbers!
ReplyDeleteNice descriptive comparison of what a piece of one's soul is worth: "For thirty grand and a large piece of their souls"
ReplyDeleteOh I so much love it now when it's a complete sonnet... that added stanza really made it for me, giving me the story of the schaman and why it's so important... every life matters really.
ReplyDeleteA strong message, well crafted, particularly like the second stanza. JIM
ReplyDeleteI have read this before and the message is still powerful. Specially love this part:
ReplyDeleteThe shaman says our fate is linked with theirs.
White lions are few, and when the last one dies
he says the sun will fall out of the skies,
too late then for our planetary prayers.
I have read the book about the white lions and we can learn much from them.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much depth in the eyes of animals...more than we observe or care to. Many lessons to learn, I believe. I really enjoyed the progression of this sonnet, starting with dreaming a dream to the facts of a serious issue.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful poem. I'll look for the book.
ReplyDelete