Regal, Too! ! Poem by Denis Martindale

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Behold the tiger, searching still,
Bedecked in black and white,
With blue eyes hiding what he will,
Prepared for all in sight.
His steady, stealthy way serves well,
Ahead of hunting time,
Before his prey is known by smell,
Behold him in his prime.

For now, he seems to glide along,
As if contentedly,
As if there could be nothing wrong
With his philosophy.
He merely hunts to stay alive,
To live another day,
The game, of course, is to survive,
To win, and not just play.

But out there, somewhere, life must end,
Whatever he can find,
With little chance it can defend,
Or leave him far behind.
Although the tiger's beautiful,
He shows no clemency
Though regal and adorable,
Beware his majesty.


Denis Martindale. June 2021.


This poem is about the magnificent painting
Regal II by UK wildlife art Stephen Gayford.