Suzanne Delaney Poet Free verse

Eye of a Captive Elephant

I have looked into 
a zoo elephant's eye- I felt nothing pass between us
How to  describe, what seemed to be,
an out of focus camera lens.
I saw no flicker of response- it took
the carrot from my hand
The massive beast was trained-
not tamed - his eye
a small unpunctuated pool - strange
in relation to its famed intelligence-
it seemed as vacuous as a snake's

That eye - a still point-
in its rocking body
showed puzzled disappointment


~ First Place~
ALL YOURS(Jun 5)
Contest Judged:  6/5/2021 
Sponsored by: Brian Strand

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Kim Merryman June 7, 2021 at 4:51 PM A moving write, Suzanne! Congrats on your win in Brian's contest! Blessings, Kim M

Tom Cunningham November 16, 2020 at 4:53 AM Well written Suz, a sad situation, in a zoo or wildlife park they have everything but freedom. Tom Suzanne Delaney November 17, 2020 at 5:06 AM Glad you enjoyed it Tom: enjoyed exploring this theme with you. SuZ

Richard Lamoureux August 26, 2019 at 8:58 AM This is a sad one. So well expressed. I feel so bad for the animals in zoos.

Robert Lindley August 23, 2019 at 5:26 AM Your poem captured the sadness the elephant must feel. As by nature they roam and to be in a pen must be pure torture . Great poetry my friend..

Geoffrey Brewer August 5, 2019 at 4:07 PM Your acute and detailed observation, sharply described has a powerful effect in arousing curiosity and sympathetic interest, touching the emotions.

Craig Cornish August 1, 2019 at 7:12 AM The true mind of a poet - inquisitive, and as you allude, usually in puzzled "disappointment", that word being used in a much more infinite way than most, but in a thoughtful way - always seeking, rarely finding.

Connie Marcum Wong July 29, 2019 at 1:13 PM This is so sad SuZ. Elephants were born to travel which is impossible in a zoo. They are such compassionate creatures with great intelligence they deserve respect to be free. Your poem expresses their plight so wonderfully. xxoo Suzanne Delaney July 29, 2019 at 6:41 PM At least in a zoo they are safe from poachers but as you say not free to roam.....we can only pray they won’t be made extinct. Lovely to see you. SuZ.

Eric Ashford July 28, 2019 at 9:23 PM I've seen that look in many captive beast eye's. Not trying to make a point between zoo's and not zoo's, it's just some are a lot better at stimulating their larger beasts, then others. This work captures (perhaps an unfortunate words to use in this context), something deeply disturbing about our interaction with nature. Excellent. Suzanne Delaney July 29, 2019 at 5:50 AM Thanks Eric: It is always fascinating and always the hope that if any good can come from being up close with these animals, it is that it will generate the desire to preserve them at any cost.

Nette Onclaud July 27, 2019 at 6:52 PM i treasure your sense of empathy and ability to write poetry with such elan, suZ... free our animals... huggs Suzanne Delaney July 29, 2019 at 5:54 AM Thanks Nette: Always So happy to see your sweet face here. Hugzz, SuZ

Vijay Pandit July 25, 2019 at 8:06 AM Your poem raises awareness..wish we knew the inner thoughts that reflected in elephant's eyes. A powerful depiction, SuZ. Suzanne Delaney July 29, 2019 at 5:52 AM Thanks Vijay: That is my hope for this poem. Thanks for your welcome visits, always. SuZ

Lindsay Laurie July 25, 2019 at 1:43 AM G'day Suzanne ... I feel the sadness in your verse. Like more and more people, I only want to see animals either in the wild or at the very least an area not resembling a cage. Thank you Suzanne - Lindsay Suzanne Delaney July 25, 2019 at 6:13 AM Yes Lindsay: Technology is such now, they could have animals on display in a virtual interactive display and let the real animals free. I wrote another on this subject called, ‘Freedom Remembered.’ Thanks for visiting today. SuZ