SNOW SPIRIT

The snow leopard crouched on the ground,
As silent as the grave...
And there he paused without a sound,
Another meal to crave...
His empty belly told him straight,
This was the perfect time,
Be vigilant, endure the wait...
No higher must you climb.
Beyond him was a subtle stone,
A boulder nothing more...
Yet shaped as though now not alone,
His camouflage felt sure.
The trap was set... his eyes alert,
His ears tuned in for clues...
His legs like springs to sprint and spurt
And chase away the blues.
An hour passed without a word,
No rustling on the breeze...
No song tune from a flying bird,
No buzzing from the bees.
Then all at once, quite sudden like,
A broken twig went crack!
He moved as if a lightning strike,
His brand new prey to track!
With leaps and bounds and sudden swerves,
The leopard lunged and pounced!
Yes, patience is a skill that serves
When hunger is announced.
Without new prey, the leopard dies...
The big cat feeds once more...
To some, this truth is never nice...
Yet such is Nature's Law...

Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Snow Spirit'.
Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/snow-spirit/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/snowspirit

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com

Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford' is featured in
the website's News Section!
http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm
There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv

AFRICAN MONARCH

Come, feast your eyes on royalty!
The Lion King and more!
As if God granted some decree
That all observe his law...
For who could doubt the lion lives
As sovereign lord of all?
His one loud roar as proof he gives!
Who can withstand that call?
It causes bravery to crack
And fears are swiftly stirred!
It sends a shiver down your back
The first time that it's heard!

All through his youth, he trains and trains,
Like one in search of prey...
To see him run across the plains
Would take your breath away!
I'd rather stroke a pussycat
Than cuddle close to him...
For if I got as close as that,
I'd be a dead pilgrim!
While it's true, some folks would quibble,
With one called royalty...
To keep a wide berth's sensible...
Quite logical to me...

Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'African Monarch'.
Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/african-monarch/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/africanmonarch

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com

Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford' is featured in
the website's News Section!
http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm

There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv

WINTER SNOWS

As he laid down his weary head,
The tiger heaved a sigh...
'Not snow again?' he asked, then said,
'Oh, dear, please, tell me why.'
The snowflakes flopped upon his nose
And nestled on his ears,
On twitching whiskers, then his toes
And made him feel his years...
'I don't deserve this day-by-day
And even night-by-night...
It doesn't matter if I pray,
My world's a constant white.'
Depressed, he stayed, frustrated still...
Life's not as we would choose.
Sometimes the chill can make us ill -
That's hardly called good news.
His fur coat kept him warm at best...
He wasn't all that cold.
Yet snow north, south and east and west?
Oh, dear... he felt so old...
He used to climb the tallest trees
And bask beneath the sun!
Snow was slippery just like grease...
It simply wasn't done...
Yes, Winter snows tame tigers, too.
Like them, for Spring, we wait...
For now, there's nothing we can do...
I know, that's great... just great...

Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2010.

My Poetry website: http://poem.says.it

The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Winter Snows'.

Shared on http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/winter-snows/
Shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/wintersnows

The Stephen Gayford Gallery website is here:
http://www.gayfordgallery.com

Update: My poem, 'An Ode To Stephen Gayford'
is featured in the website's News Section!

http://www.gayfordgallery.com/news.htm

There's also a Guest Book!
http://users2.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g25-52612-21

The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems or
http://tinyurl.com/gayfordpoems2

http://denis-martindale.blogspot.com

The framed pictures are bought from these UK websites:
http://www.bid.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.price-drop.tv (on UK Freeview)
http://www.speedauction.tv