Private View

The leopard saw the tree ahead And chose to check it out And that is where his footsteps led, No more to scout about... He climbed the tree serenely calm, To scan the land around And so as not to raise alarm, He barely made a sound... How gingerly he walked on high, As if above it all, Yet not possessing wings to fly, Was careful not to fall... A gentle breeze brought no fresh scents To help him find his prey And since he saw no other friends, He paused his paws to stay... His private view brought sweet relief With shade to cool him down, Quite cosy, comfy, couched beneath, He laid on bark so brown... Now he could keep his soft embrace, Surveying all in style... This was his spot, his special place, His palace for a while... Denis Martindale, copyright, November 2011. The poem is based on the magnificent painting by Stephen Gayford called 'Private View'. More Stephen Gayford poems here: denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com