Leopard Sanctuary

Some see the leopard as a prize, A trophy of their own, A predator, I realise, Yet men have hearts of stone... The creatures of this wondrous Earth, Sometimes have no defence, Regardless of their harm or worth, A time for foes, not friends... The species of this Earth decline According to reports And yet Man's options don't prove mine, Although they're in my thoughts... While children starve and children thirst, I must respond in time, While I do this, Man does his worst, Extinction's still a crime... The cheetah, too, is prone to die And soon to fade from sight, With barely thousands that get by, Until that final night... And tigers, too, must face the fact, That sanctuary proves rare, Unless Mankind elects to act, Like stewards who still care... Denis Martindale December 2016. A poem based on a magnificent Stephen Gayford wildlife painting. Google search phrases gayford prints and Stephen Gayford poetry and also for Heaven and Earth Designs...