Litany Of Gifts Poem by Saiom Shriver

To you at birth each animal bequeathed
His own special gift in ribbons wreathed.
The cat delivered his independence.
The eagle her detached ascendance.
Loyalty was enkindled by the dog.
Archer's aim conferred the frog.
Conservation gave the camel
Nurturing from the bovine mammal.
Invulnerability from the tortoise.
Love for all from the porpoise.
Paper weaving from the wasp.
Medicines.. from the asp.
Armadillo proffered protective coat.
The whale offered himself as boat.
The donkey gave her patient heart.
The monkey gave his mental art.
His suitcase to you
gave the kangaroo
as you released all his friends
from the zoo.
Roaches endowered divine forgiving
Lark her lifting love of living.
Crow her entire jewel collection.
Pigs their spirit of insurrection.
Octopi their boxing protection.
Butterflies the spirit of resurrection.

(to Andrew Linzey, Episcopal priest and first professor of animal
rights at Oxford Univ. who has written several books on
Christianity and ethics toward animals)