Shadow In The Jungle Poem by Denis Martindale

The panther chose to bide his time
Though hunger churned inside...
He had to plan the perfect crime,
Yet not because of pride...
He had one chance and that was all,
One chance to feast today,
One slip up now and in the brawl
His meal would flee away...

If panthers prayed, who would be safe?
Yet panthers say no prayers...
But they've got hopes instead of faith,
For joys and not despairs...
Yet each must hunt to gain the prize,
To pounce when times are right,
Before their victims realise
And like the birds take flight.

The panther gulped, the time was near...
His soft paws eased ahead...
And gone was every trace of fear
And dead all trace of dread.
What happened next, God only knows...
You see, I looked no more.
No longer crouching still, I rose...
And turned, Fate to ignore...


(July 2011/The poem is based on the
magnificent painting by Stephen Gayford
called 'Shadow In The Jungle'.)