African Beauty!

What beauty radiates from her, That cheetah, eyes aglow, With dainty, dappled spots on fur, Like footprints, toe-by-toe... Steadfast, alert, with regal stare, Her senses all combined, So that she's primed and so aware And utterly refined... And yet there's more besides than these That set her quite apart, Beyond the charms that quickly please All creatures young at heart... Consider how she twists and turns When hunting for her prey, Increasing skills she's learnt and learns With every passing day... What beauty, too, when cubs are raised, As mother to them all, Her gently ways so highly praised, Her wisdom to install... That cheetah's not just any cat, She's debonair and sleek, In fact, she's so much more than that, She's truly quite unique! Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2014. The poem is based on the magnificent painting by Stephen Gayford called 'African Beauty'.