The Zoo Story
Not long ago, some tragic soul, a young man,
Accidentally fell into the well (an 18-foot drop)
In the Delhi zoo,
Where a white tiger was resting cozily
In the warm September sun.
The stunned young man,
A poor Androcles,
A gladiator without a sword,
Pitted against the six-foot wild animal,
Held up his hands—as if in supplication.
The tiger, curious, studied the victim
Before swiping him;
And then again took quite some time –
Perhaps to let the people around
Watch and cry louder
And to let an excited boy
Record a neat video,
On his mobile, of the moments of agony –
To maul the unarmed gladiator
And drag the limp body away
Before eventually retreating.
A gory death
With no glory in it.
The moral of the story?
RSVP!
--Ram, R. V.
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