I Was Once Like You Poem by Joe Fraccalvieri

I was once like you…
Sleeping in the trees
above the sacred ground--
clutching my spear--
flinching in fear
at every unknown sound

When I was in the fields,
even during the brightest light,
I was very much afraid
of the mighty Lion's bite!

But then, while in the dark,
I would hear the wild dogs bark,
and I'd slowly fall asleep--
only to be awakened
by the singing of a Lark

On the darkest nights I could see
distant campfires above the tree…
And I'd wonder to myself--
how can this be?

But then one night,
I no longer wondered how
those things got in the sky…
For I heard a voice
inside my head
that said instead
to wonder WHY

Later in the night,
I lay upon the ground
and many mornings after,
hearing children's laughter--
no longer having fright
of all that was around

And there I chose to stay
as night turned into day
watching for the lion--
watching young ones play