Study For Tiger Fury

The artist saw the tiger there, His camera clicked away, To capture every glare and stare Upon that very day... For not all tigers show their hate, The fury kept within, Thus very few anticipate The tiger's will to win... Most of the time, the tiger walks, By stealth he conquers all, With hunting tactics as he stalks, Before his victims fall... So fury makes the artist look, Then see the matter through, Perhaps to find his sketching book, Before he paints anew... And yet what details scan that page, Each tiger stripe stands out, Each whisker marks that final stage, Thus fury's without doubt... That sketch determines everything, That black mood makes us see The anger of that noble king The tiger's meant to be... Denis Martindale, copyright, April 2015. Poem based on a magnificent wildlife painting, by artist Stephen Gayford nb Google-search gayfordgallery and 'Stephen Gayford poetry'.