My Tiger and Me

Walking my tiger home, I now feel happy to be alive. Out in the sun, I’m a charmed one - someone who learned to survive! It wasn’t easy when I first found myself near the jungle lost after I’d landed on a white beach, my ship having been storm-tossed. I must have lain for nearly two days unconscious on the sand, then woke in tall grass and looked all around. Who’d given the helping hand? No one was there. How was it then I’d gotten so far from shore? As I sat thinking, there came toward me four monkeys and then one more! Poking at me, like humans they seemed, chattering gaily away. I rose to my feet. One jumped on my back. A game he wanted to play! Then out of nowhere, something appeared, giving me quite a start. A cat, but a giant, orange and with black stripes. My pounding heart! A tiger this was, and in his big teeth, he held part of my clothes. He looked at me with eyes strangely sweet while to the spot I froze! He crept up to me, and then what he did, I never will forget. He rubbed his large head right over mine. as if he were my pet! It took me some time, but then at last, I came to understand. I would be friends with many creatures here in this jungle land. Like Tarzan am I, talking with them, And when I want to eat, The monkeys bring fruits, since I can’t stomach The tiger’s uncooked meat. I sleep snuggled up by my sweetest friend, and daily we walk about. Holding his tail, I follow behind. For me, that tiger looks out! This jungle’s my home. And I confess here’s the reality: I am the pet, and it’s my tiger actually walking ME! July 23, 2016 for the "Walking My Tiger Home" contest of David Lindsay