Notes About The Poem

"Marjan - 1976 - 2002 - The Pearl of Afghanistan" . . .

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Marjan - The Pearl of Afghanistan

Given as a gift from Germany to Kabul zoo in Afghanistan 
No fields to run in - just a miserable enclosed barren land
 
You were blessed with a beautiful lioness partner, Chucha
She must have made you feel no less than a majestic Shah 
 
You survived against all the invasions, and the bloody wars
Behind those dark miserable cramped closed barren doors
  
You were a survivor, that against all the cruelly made odds
Was even threaten to be killed, by the unholy Taliban sods

But your loyal keeper fought for your life, using the Quran
With the prophet Muhammad to aid you to all understand

That an animal should be respected as he had his own pets
To kill Marjan’ would in the end only leave you with regrets

But you were brought down by an egotistical Mujahedeen
Who you killed for mauling your Chucha, for fun it seemed

In turn the killed brother gave you a hand grenade as a gift
As the damage caused was more than, un-deservedly swift

You lost your sight in one eye and near all of it in the other
Because of that un-deserving revenge of a grieved brother

You lost most of your teeth and with the blast your hearing
Yet you survived, to Afghans, you became more endearing 

That they took it upon themselves to then kill this very man
For the ignorance of the situation as he did not understand

You had thought this man was a threat to your lioness pride
As it was in the end his own fault he was attacked then died

As the wars in Afghanistan raged, so did the famine drought
When it came to food for you there was too little of it about

But the Afghan people gathered in force to see you were fed
No one wanted the Shah Marjan from hunger be found dead

You came through all of this, skin sagging on a frame so lean
But for it all, never did once made you ferocious or be mean

Your beloved keeper walked with you, within your enclosure  
Despite your injuries you always maintained your composure

Your name travelled the world, and they wished you the best
But near a quarter of a century, you as then laid yourself to rest

This tribute is to you mera jaan Marjan – the pearl of Afghanistan
May you always with Chucha, fly free, high above this desert land

Higher and higher, with the longed for eternal peace may you soar 
As the winds carry along with it your once mighty and proudly roar
Copyright © | Year Posted 2017

Poem

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Smith Avatar
October 1, 2017 at 12:33 AM
A passionate piece so veery well done Indiana...
Shaw Avatar
October 1, 2017 at 10:49 AM
Many thanks for your kind comment "Charlie" - If you have an inclination check "Marjan" the Afghan lion out on the net - He deserves a merit for being such a survivor . . . : )
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