Panther Outcast Poem by Ima Ryma

The panther, a ferocious beast,
Is feared and respected by all.
For me that seriousness ceased
When years ago I got the call
To be the icon for a show
About the solving of high crime
By bumbling detective Clouseau.
It all got to me over time.
Other panthers made fun of me.
An alcoholic I became.
A park bench was my home to be.
I was a victim of my fame.

If you were me, you too would drink,
Cast as a panther colored pink.