The Lion's Roar

A Poem by Thomas Ingels

the queen male lion

I travel many miles across the
hot African savanna. I walk
silently through the tall grass
like a mouse. the wind blew
through my mane catching a
scent of prey. I keep low
low looking through the grass
seeing black and white stripes

My family has been searching
for food for the past two
days, but nothing was to
be found. my cubs have to
eat so they can be big
and strong like me

I licked my chompers already
tasting the raw meat. I lowered
my back legs and jumped out
of the grass scaring the zebras.
thousands scattered and I didn't know
which one to pick

dust flew in the air
like a bad windy day.
finally I saw the dinner
tonight. a full grown male zebra
running alone. I sped up
pouncing and bit the back of
the male.

The male zebra yelped continuously to
let his herd know he was in trouble.
All the herd cared about was themselves
to get away from me. He fell onto his side
trying to get back up but my weight
was to much. My fangs penetrated the zebras neck
getting a taste of flesh.

I did as much as i could to get the food back one piece
defending the food from those wild dogs. Getting back to
the large tree where my family was they ran up to me like
they haven't seen me in a mouth.

i put the meat in the shade stepping back as my cubs pierced the
skin playing tug of war with it. my wife came up to me and set her
head on my broad shoulder and purred saying thank you.

I licked the blood off my lips and I roared as loud as i could.
This is my home, this is my family. no one messes with the king.