A poem about predatory lives.... |
As I sit at my table watching the feeders in my backyard through my kitchen window, I observe social tolerance in action, with dozens of sparrows interspersed with doves, blackbirds, cardinals, a woodpecker, and a squirrel or two -- all calmly feasting. A friendly gathering of prey. Suddenly, simultaneously, every bird disappears, seeking cover, hidden deep within the cedars and thorny bushes. A shadow drifts across the yard, signaling the arrival of a young hawk, seeking his noontime meal. This hunter swoops down, landing upon the fence, surveys the now deserted yard, silently enduring the cacophony of protesting calls emanating from his hidden prey. I am struck by the lonely life lived by a predator, be it a bird of prey as here, or tiger, shark, snake, or grizzly bear. Whether herds of zebra and gazelles on the plains of Africa upon sighting a pride of lions, or flocks of birds in suburban Louisiana spying a solitary hawk, the presence of a predator disrupts all harmony and goodwill. All prey fear and ostracize him. There is no flock, no school, no herd that welcomes his presence. He is Nature’s social misfit, alone or tolerated only by small packs of killer peers. His is a harsh and brutal existence based upon exploitation of the weakness or gentleness of others. None other desires the company of those of a predacious nature -- a lesson best learned and remembered by each and every Man! Please check out my ten books: http://www.amazon.com/Jr.-Harry-E.-Gilleland/e/B004SVLY02/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 |