Below is a poem I wrote eleven years ago. Dated November 2009, it is written from the perspective of a wild animal in a zoo: the elephant taken from its family and natural habitat, imprisoned for life; the polar bear, captured as a cub in Manitoba, Canada, and flown to Edinburgh Zoo to live, forever, in a concrete enclosure, reduced to nothing more than a money-making exhibit for human entertainment. Beyond the bars …
FUTILE
What can I see beyond the bars?
Them. Pointing, laughing, staring
At me. Why?
Every day, relentless.
Futile.
What can I do in my concrete world?
Nothing. Sleep, pace and more sleep.
Why me?
Every day, relentless.
Futile.
What can they learn from me behind these bars?
Nothing. Dead birds, cakes and sweet corn, a diet for …
Not me.
Every day, relentless.
Futile.
But when I close my eyes, I can see
Endless skies, my family, life
As it was meant to be.
Not futile but free …
Lockdown. Rules. Restrictions. Control. Whatever happened to freedom of choice; liberty?
Is this karma?
This is Trish, signing off, ever grateful for the magnificent Born Free Foundation.
