The leader and the led

The Lion stakes his claim To the leadership of the pack But the Antelopes remember The ferocious pounce of his paws The hyena says the crown is made for him But the Impalas shudder at his lethal appetite The Giraffe craves a place in the front But his eyes are too far from the ground When the Zebra says it's his right to lead The pack points to the duplicity of his stripes The Elephant trudges into the power tussle But its colleagues dread his trampling feet The warthog is too ugly The rhino too riotous And the pack thrashes around Like a snake without a head "Our need calls for a hybrid of habits", Proclaims the Forest Sage, "A little bit of a Lion A little bit of a Lamb Tough like a tiger, compassionate like a doe Transparent like a river, mysterious like a lake A leader who knows how to follow Followers mindful of their right to lead"