Silent Footsteps Poem by Denis Martindale

The leopard cub was learning fast,
His silent footsteps proved,
His hunting skills had come at last,
That's why he gently moved...
Slow motion style, soft paws were placed
Upon the ground below,
So that his movements stayed untraced,
Not sensed, so none could know...

No breaking twigs beneath his feet,
No falling leaves, no sounds,
No sudden rush that seemed so sweet,
No false start, foolish pounce...
Just gently, gently, calm, serene,
As patient as could be,
With no mistakes to intervene
His newfound destiny...

No more the little cub who played
So frivolous each dawn,
No more with parents he obeyed
From when he first was born...
When silent footsteps come to call,
They signal something new,
The adult leopard, cunning, cruel,
Who does what he must do...