Soliloquy Of Captives

Starved and it stretches
the prison cell,
cast an eye into
undeserving hell.

The bars of a hunter
behind which people can see,
hearts of the hunted
which long to be free.

Apes in their apehouse
tamed tigers like drunks,
snakes in glasshouses
resembling dead elephant trunks.

King of the jungle
the lion's rule,
now standing smaller
and whipped to a stool.

Lifeless are cages
that hold those weakened strong
and soulless are those
to whom they belong.

Killer whales with balloons
perfore for applause,
chained to the water
for no other cause.

Paper hat cheetahs
looking listless and still,
spoonfed crocodiles
robbed of their kill.

One cell to another
most distressing in sight,
the day smells of children
tasting freedom at night.

Wolves in the doghouse
monkeys nailed to the trees,
while a polar bear melts
away from the freeze.

A panther fell foul
as a trap had been set,
she struggles like whiplash
in a stinging net.

If God made the beasts,
the Heavens and earth,
shouldn't each living thing
be free from birth?

Spots on the leopard
are as gambled as dice,
a sickening coat
for the highest price.

Rhino in Africa
lived under many suns
then safaris arrived
with drugs in their guns.

Away in the distance
hyenas laugh,
and high amongst leaves
is a wary giraffe.

Cobras spit without
venom or fang,
whilst bats in the belfry
have no place to hang.

Bearded spiders
four legs and one eye,
weaving rusted webs
which untangle the fly.

Great Whites and dolphins
swim battle scarred waves,
taking the bait and getting
hooked to their graves.

In captivity we create
only animal clones,
the deserted oasis is now
a landscape of bones.

Swift on his hooves
but the zebra is caught,
and flown on clouds
to barbed fences is brought.

And what of the camel
with her handcuffed back?
Spitting on crowds
her only attack.

Circus eyes
looking back at you,
from their iron rooms
dying two by two...

@Steven Francis poems 1985