Thirsty Gentle Giants

THIRSTY GENTLE GIANTS Animals dread a drought! As do Elephants Who are heavier and more stout, They need to find water fast, Before poachers find them And become History Once lived, now past! Elephants are patient with Their young, they are slow As their little legs Are short and low. Nature is harsh, A calf could get Stuck in a marsh! Lions always stalk an Elephant who is dehydrated Or a calf in a marsh! Like a squadron of soldiers have Everything calculated, Exhausted, the elephant Will fall down, His Majesty still wears the crown! Wild dogs are Waiting in line, Baby elephants That straggle behind, Certainly make a fine dine! Calves are inquisitive and stray, Mom and Nannies make sure they Don’t stray too far away, Like all young, they love to play But must be found, As deadly predators Are lurking around! Gently they push them back into The herd, And continue their journey, leaving Behind a lot of turd! For dung beetles this is a treasure, And an absolute pleasure, As they roll some into a Golf ball size, and here lay their Eggs, and once buried Await for them to hatch But far away from The elephant’s patch! Water at last, But the males drink first, No matter if the rest Of the herd thirst. Elephants are not the only ones At this river-bed. Fight for possession Of water includes Crocodiles, hippos lions, leopards And more, who’s acute Senses have also led Them, to the same river-bed! Elephants gorge themselves Despite that predators are in Their immediate sight For they would put up a fight! Water has brought reprieve, And relief, For all animals, the vulnerable And predators alike, Water is the essence of life, On planet earth for one and all, It needs to hopefully, always, Be on tap and on call, It’s abundance can strengthen, But lack of, can certainly threaten!