It's the time of The King of the Beasts

A majestic creature - to say the least

A fine animal to look at from afar ...

But it's not a good idea to jump bars



At a zoo or a circus to get any closer

For the animal can be quite ferocious

Better to keep one's distance from it

And just look with wide eyes as he sits



Better still to keep miles between you

When seen in other places than the zoo

For the lion is so very fierce in the wild

Particulary when aroused by a child ...



Never-the-less, the lion's become a symbol

A romanticized vision of something ideal 

When the truth is - the lion is quite a bully

Who jumps on his prey to feed himself fully



- Tristram



(c) Christopher W. Thomas

4:45am Monday, July 20th, 1998