Monday, June 27, 2022

The White Lions of Timbavati

                                        

The white lions of Timbavati
are wandering through my dreams,
beautiful ones who came here from the stars.
We are too disconnected to understand,
but the shaman says their fate is linked with ours.
Sent by the Sun God in the long ago,
they saved us once from perishing. In return,
we have hunted them to extinction to repay
their gift - so far have humans lost our way.

So beautiful, the white 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.

Lion, lion, lion
of my heart,
your blue eyes watch us as 
we bumble to and fro.
You come from ancient starfire,
mystery,
with insight we're not wise enough
to know.

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 down from the skies,
too late then, all our hopes and dreams
and prayers.

Lion, lion, lion
of my heart,
your blue eyes watch us as 
we bumble to and fro.
You come from ancient starfire,
mystery,
with insight we're not wise enough
to know.

The white lions of Timbavati 
are wandering through my dreams,
lit silvery-white, bathed in
dark night's moonbeams.
White lions came from stars,
sent by the Sun.
We are too blind to see
our destinies
are one.


 
There are only thirteen white lions left in the wild, and 100 in captivity, bred for the abhorrent "canned hunting" and lion petting industries. The White Lion Global Trust, founded by Linda Tucker, is desperately trying to save white lions, rescuing them from such places and providing sanctuary for the ones in their care. Shaman Credo Mutwa taught Linda that white lions are believed to have come to earth from the stars. By offering themselves to humans to eat during a time of famine, they saved mankind from perishing. In return, man has hunted them to the very edge of extinction. 

15 comments:

  1. A mystical poem of yearning and sadness. Beautiful work, Sherry.

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  2. Credo must have given you the Key of Narnia!! I'm pretty sure white lions are guarding his tomb in the grassland.

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  3. it appears not enough of us heed wisdom much. !

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    1. I thought wholesale reckless self-destruction and the rape of the world is wisdom. Must be a generational thing!

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  4. Absolutely beautiful writing.. I saw a pair of white lions in South Africa at a conservation centre.. truly glorious creatures that would appreciate your wonderful poem for sure...

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    1. How wonderful to have seen them in person. Sigh. You would like Linda Tucker's book about her work to save them.

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  5. We take and take and take...we have depleted not only ourselves, but all of life. A beautiful plea in words.

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  6. A beautiful tribute to the white lion.

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  7. Empathy allows us to travel far, and the African journey requires spirit animals (otherwise just another safari in the wild). And lo these beasts are magnificent. Great work Sherry, and thanks for the challenge.

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  8. The white lions have done all they can. I'm sure their blue eyes weep at the thought of leaving this place.

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  9. I think that there is "a spark of truth" everywhere; and, certainly there is a connection between how humankind treats each other, the creatures of the earth, and the earth itself. I believe that there is a recompense, for those who learn to bridge the divide, and seek oneness, especially with the Creator; on the other hand, the earth changes, or prophetic timeline, depending on one's perspective, are a response to the disregard that humans have for each other, and the Creation.

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  10. I so agree. Our disconnection from what keeps us alive is stunning.

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  11. "we bumble to and fro.
    You come from ancient starfire,
    mystery"

    And there's the crux of the matter: so many humans no longer explore or want the mystery.

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  12. Thanks for the visit and comment. Your blog is in my blog list.

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