Startled

The leopard cub was startled at Some noise he overheard, Unnerved yet cautious not to scat, Alert and yet not stirred... To stand and fight or turn and flee? And yet which path to take? With only instincts as the key, What errors could he make? His mind was now a battlefield, Decisions swhirling round, Until more details were revealed, He firmly kept his ground... Just one more noise to set him straight Or spook him left or right And so he waited on his fate, To stay still or take flight... The minutes slipped away real slow, In silent tedium, Still not aware of friend or foe Who might be near to him... Then all at once a bird flew high, The cause of such mischief, The cub then kept a watchful eye, As he sighed with relief... Denis Martindale, copyright, March 2013. The poem is based on the magnificent painting by Stephen Gayford called 'Startled'. More Stephen Gayford poems here: denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com