In The Shade

The tiger wearied by the heat Felt strength was waning fast And hardly fit as to compete Until the heat had past... He sought the comfort of the shade Between the trees nearby, Where he believed the heat would fade So no more would he sigh... How right he was, the shade was fine, The breeze no more a pain And pretty soon he would recline And simply rest again... His eyes no longer strained to see, His ears no longer burned, Yes, this was now the place to be, Till evening had returned... The sun, why was it so darned hot? Each tiger thought the same! Each sensed somehow it was a plot, Revenge on those to blame... While tigers hunt their prey for food And have to eat what's caught, Not one's safe in Man's neighbourhood While Man hunts game for sport... Denis Martindale, copyright, January 2013. The poem is based on the magnificent painting by Stephen Gayford called 'In The Shade'. More Stephen Gayford poems here: denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com