Bentley Poem by Ted L Glines

Bentley
by Ted L Glines

Bentley was a scary bat
as some would say - and that was that
ignorance builds mighty towers
and bats are full of evil powers
'blind as a bat' - so say those folks
whose 'knowledge' base is full of jokes
but may we take a moment here
to make the air a bit more clear.

Sub-Saharan flying fox
lives in trees or caves in rocks
known to live for twenty years
in spite of traps and guns and spears
eyes far better than yours or mine
the smallest things they can define
the juice from fruit is what they gulp
lapping juice - discarding pulp
nocturnal hunters nightly roam
and dawn will find them safe at home
cacophony of gossip squeaking
mothers/dads/babies speaking
thousands there all pressed together
sheltered safe from greed or weather
if we could know the things they're saying
of loves and fears - maybe praying
we might feel a kinship growing
with perhaps compassion showing.

Never meant for zoos nor cages
flying free through all the ages
sixty inches span of wings
strong to fly above all things
soaring straight and oh so high
miles of forest passing by
sixteen miles of hunting range
where all is known - nothing strange
straw-colored hair on neck and spine
brown chest and belly fur so fine.

In 1981 - born in a zoo
rejected by his mother too
Bentley never knew the wild
enslaved unhappy misplaced child
imprisoned where no freedom plays
and that's where Bentley spent his days
no appeal - no bargain gains
encaged for life 'where freedom reigns'
but prisoned beasties cause abuse
and injured creatures have no u$e
zoos would rather put to sleep
those creatures they could cure and keep
it's like big bu$ine$$ everywhere
the profit motive shows no care.

Thanks to gods or thanks to fate
Bentley - rescued - not too late
by Bat World folks of Mineral Springs
Texas folks - where love still sings
and Bentley spent his last four years
being nurtured - no more fears
until the day he passed away
to fly with angels - laughing play
where there's always fruit enough
no bully beasts or zoos and stuff
no need to hide in fear or roam
at last dear Bentley flew on home.