Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Outlook (06/02/11)
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TITLE: A Grizzly Outlook | Previous Challenge Entry
By Linda Goergen
06/05/11 -
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SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
from the edge of the mountain
staring – quiet
the only sound
our noses sniffing, inhaling
wonderful smells drifting
up to us from the place
those two legged creatures
rest around a fire
I raise on my hind legs
to smell it better
the smell pulls me
I am hungry
I am tired of these berries
I was able to snatch
just one small fish this morning
before mama heard
something
made us leave the river’s edge
I take a couple of steps closer
toward the tempting smells and
mama growls at me
I wish mama would let me
investigate more - but she won’t
she keeps me close
I am the only cub left since
my brother and sister
didn’t make it - after we ran
from loud blasts
I’d never heard
a more frightful sound
than the roar
when mama realized
what was meant for her
got them instead - but I never saw
what creature made that awful blast
that echoed
through the forest
and through my brain
I slowly try to sneak a bit closer
toward the divine smells
why not - even though I’m young
I’m fast - I’m bigger
stronger than those
weak looking things
that already have food
so why should I fear them
maybe they are friendly
I am curious - one step more
and mama slaps me
knocks me down
with a force I haven’t felt before
she gives me a menacing look
then looks down - eyeing
the harmless looking creatures
with a look
of raw hatred dancing in her eyes
Mama tells me
these are humans
the stick looking thing
propped by them
is what makes the sound
that killed your brother and sister
it will rip through flesh
faster than the greatest bear claws
we are weak against its power
those two legged creatures have no fur
and will use that stick
to kill you for yours
I saw them
take the coat from my own father
skin him, hang his fur along with others
leaving his flesh
there to rot
where mother kept coming back
long after they left
to mourn
close to his smell
that lingered for days
slowly weakening
mother took us away - deeper
deeper into the forest
where I hoped
I’d never see
one of those beasts again
and then
Mama and I look down
from the edge of the mountain
staring – quiet
mama’s raw hate
now dancing in my eyes
Note:
This may seem an unusual offering for a spiritual writing workshop, a poem to illicit compassion for the animal, but it opens the door for a topic close to my heart and I believe, a spiritual message of examining man’s heart and reason of action!
It may be controversial to some, but to my convicted heart the message seems clear. Let me state, I am not a PETA fanatic, I believe God gave us animals for food and necessary need. But, today too many are slaughtering animals for wicked reasons of pride and greed, not need.
Each year millions of bears (and many animals) are killed just for their fur.
In Canada black bear are still slaughtered simply to use their pelts for headpieces for The Queen's Guards, something unnecessary in this day and age of superior synthetics! So many of mankind like to kill just for the “sport”, keeping fur or heads just for prideful trophies. Wanton killing for sport, I believe does not please GOD, who is creator of all life. I believe animals were given to us to be used for real need, not fleshly sport!
And it is not just the bear, animals killed for tusks and horns, their bodies are left to rot. Animals brought into fighting arenas, atrocities of animals killed or maimed just for man’s vile entertainment.
God knows the motives of man’s heart and as caretakers of the animals on earth, we will be judged!
Proverbs 12:10 (NKJV)
A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
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Thank you so much for writing this. It touched my heart. I am with you in standing up for what is right. There is alot of controversy I am afraid that stirs in conversations between relatives and I, as well as others I know, about this topic, as it is one that I feel so strongly about. Keep on being a voice Linda!!