Zoology
Amir Arsalan
nnasseri@cox.net
March 29, 2025

Zoology

A bull stood firm; its muscles gleamed with sweat
With large horns towering, no doubt remained of threat
To taunt and grab those horns, seemed foolish to all at first
But life is drunk like water; and if not, we die of thirst

An eagle soared, over valleys and over hills
To us an envied perspective, filled with joys and thrills
But to him, just a boring and mundane way
To satisfy a need; to hunt and catch his prey

A mouse ran quickly, into a hole inside a wall
And then out of mind, overshadowed by the hall
The great room, his presence would not lack
But the tiny hole, its king would welcome back

A grey wolf, sat down to clear his throat
Before conversing, with the ball that seemed to float
With a howl, he reminisced his missing pack
But then the unexpected: the ball would howl back

A snake crawled, under a rock and out of sight
So desperate to conceal, and avoid a losing fight
“Cursed am I, for evil is my name
Man has chosen me, for everything to blame”

A lion roared, demanding his respect
The flash of teeth, supported the effect
The yearn to rule, an intoxicating lust
Evaporates too soon, when the lion turns to dust

A peacock pranced, portraying an unmatched pride
At his own display, of colored feathers and perfect stride
But then one day, when challenged to a fight
Proved his plumes just show, by disappearing in the night

A unicorn’s voice, from the time of yesteryear
Beckoned to be heard, though faint and now unclear
“Doomed to extinction, my fate was O so dark
There was no room for me, on Noah’s sturdy Ark”

As a fly circled, annoying all that watched
Corrupting and defiling, everything it touched
A question emerged, which would not ever fade
Why was this vile creature, ever to be made?

A soldier bee, attacked the intruding foe
With a decisive sting, he laid that rival low
The sting killed too, the brave little soldier bee
But he died content, knowing the hive lived on as free

A salmon swam, against the flowing stream
When asked: “Why fight, and waste your precious steam?”
Replied: “It’s true, easier to follow the river’s flow
But the stream flows opposite, to where I wish to go”

A chameleon displayed, his talent for disguise
Using his skin, to paint visual lies
But in confusion, was forced to slow and pause
For even he at times, forgot who he really was

A giggling hyena, lost in his laughter’s bliss
Stopped laughing long enough, to only tell me this:
“I laugh at work, I laugh at play, I even laugh in bed
I laugh in every moment, for in the next I may be dead”

An old owl, perched high up on his tree
Pondered: “Am I a slave, or am I free?
For having asked, I broke the chain in me
Most will never ask, but I will let them be”

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