God's Own Landscape

I see the lovely lion golden in the sun And his mate as she wanders looking over their realm Studying for just the right piece of dinner for her sons And there they are jumping on their father’s back He takes his paw and knocks them all down Easily as he lies able to crush any of them into the ground Tolerant creature licking at the ears of his daughters and sons Across the browning grounds the elephants Move about in family groups, mother always first While aunts and cousins and baby brothers follow Pushing and rolling scratching in the dirt all around The aunts keep their eyes on all the young females Who they have trained to watch over the little ones While others with wary eyes scratch and roll and run There in the largest trees filled with nuts and leaves Sits the cousin of man living by the best fruits and meats Watching as life goes on beautiful and deadly in his lands Ready to shout and scream should anyone start a fight Yawning and appearing lazy with a giant foot curled about Hanging in the branches ready to come rumbling out Beating his chest eyes dark and deep with a direct stare Pray if you are nearby that you are one of the clan One of the ones that he looks out for and watches with care Perhaps a jeep comes by somewhere in the day Sanctuary soldiers cameras and lights shots and treats Then a truck rambles by men with their guns tracking deadly forms Watchers wary of people searching for trophies -- antlers and horns Sanctuary, sanctuary, monks and priests Sanctuary, sanctuary, lions, elephants and apes Salvation soldiers watchful over one of God’s living landscapes