Thursday, July 09, 2015

The Siege Of Night~



Night wrapped in its own fears, embellish all
Predators leap out from their hiding haunts
Stand at the edge to breathe in
the beauty of shadows and silhouettes...
Other animals lie low in such growing hours
The lazy bugs and critters settle down in their pits 
The flitting fireflies, cries of the hyenas
sweep over the eerie surrounding...
Tiger, the lover of the dark-
         comes out on its prowl
waits on its haunches....immobile and silent
A timid, little deer suddenly singles out 
      …a ripple of speed disturbs the eerie stillness, and
Hunger draws a battle line …!
An old owl coughs, but let suffering take its toll
Repetition does not make things easier
Confident of his power 
 The tiger growls and cuts across the territory
                 takes a lead… 
              and closes in on its prey;
       The poor deer rends the air
The body wriggles helplessly 
             within the claws for a few seconds
Slowly, softly, it slides on one side ... 
The tiger carries the carcass home in its jaw
Ah, in a land of freedom -
No one helps and lends a paw?
deathly peace hangs over for sometime
and then…, the last absurdity… 
Darkness....
Shrouds everything once again
Drops of blood get washed in grey!


Shared with Sumana's Prompt :poets-united-midweek-motif-night

“Tiger, tiger burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”

These lines from William Blake’s The Tiger, bring to mind a fearsome creature whose eyes, fiery and red, look out at you from the dark recesses of the forest. Unfortunately for the tiger, it is an animal both feared and admired. Sometimes it is easily loved and sometimes strongly mistrusted.

An endangered species, the tiger is fighting for its survival in India. Half a century ago India was home to about 40,000 tigers, but today there are as few as 1,400 tigers remaining in the country. In recent years, the conservation of the species has been the watchword for many. Environmentalists, conservationists, concerned citizens, schools and young students are rallying together to protecting the tiger.

36 comments:

  1. what an adventure reading this was! Kudos to this!

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    1. Thank you, Mandy ! It is heartening when appreciation finds its way to you…

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  2. This is such a brilliant piece! I love how the lines from William Blake's poem inspired you to write this profound offering :D

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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    1. I'm so glad, Sanaa . I'm sending you a heart full of love. :) Thanks for that generous comment.

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  3. This was some beautiful writing. The adventure, thrill and the detailing of the ambiance was beyond perfect.

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    1. I am so glad to have connected with someone who shares my thoughts and validates them ...thank you, Purba for reading . Hope to see you more on these pages..

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  4. Aiyai! The tiger in the night! But how could I not think of shootings by crazies? or, worse, of our police with guns preying on life when no one can help? An owl, a tiger, a vulture are carnivors. But are gunmen cannibals that they prey so?

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    1. There is nothing as disgusting as people who torture, murder, and cannibalize ....In the past, humans have practiced cannibalism during stone age..The question of whether our ancestors ever used to feast on each other, or animals however, remains controversial. Thank you, Susan.Your presence gives me immense happiness. <3

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  5. You've drawn from great inspiration here - your gory lines really capture a sense of what is being lost...great work!

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    1. Thank you, Clair for reading ..and for the words of encouragement. Mighty pleased...:)))

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  6. It is terribly sad there are so few tigers left and I hope somehow they can be helped to increase their numbers. You wrote a beautiful poem about this tiger. I could see him , hear the old owl coughing (brilliant!), and see the poor deer become the tiger's meal. Very vivid writing, Panchali. It was wonderful to read and envision.

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    1. I am so glad to have connected with someone who shares my thoughts and validates them on so many things. It is indeedis heartening when appreciation finds its way to you...sherry.Thank you for being you.:)

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  7. This poem makes me feel sad for the tiger over and over again. "No one helps and lends a paw" really breaks my heart.

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    1. You picked up the best phrase here, Mary. The width of your perceptions are extremely enriching. Thanks a ton for sharing your thoughts. Comments from you make me truly happy :)) Thnq.

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  8. Bravo... tiger conservation deserves all the support it gets. Hopefully we're not the last generation that spots the magnificent bengal tiger in the wild.

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    1. Oh no!! I sincerely hope the next generation do get a chance to see this huge cat alive. I hope the goverment wakes up before it is too late, that! Thanks for being here, and I hope to see more of you here. I hope you can feel my gratitude- it's big. :))) Thanks a ton...

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  9. Ah the night as the hunter and the hunted..and who won't love your coughing owl?every word grips the mind with awe..so beautifully done...

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    1. You have blessed me beyond words todaywith your words of appreciation. . Thanks Sumana for that brilliant prompt. You know, I have a passion for collecting owl figurines... . You'll find different varieties in my place. There's one, in fact, here on the left side also if you have noticed. The widget inspires me :))) Thanks again..

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  10. Before I read your postscript Tiger, tiger burning bright came to mind and 'No one helps and lends a paw?' - perhaps the same applies in the animal and human world

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    1. You are right Jae! Human beings are worse!! Arghh..a good samaritan is hard to find these days...
      thanks for being here. Truly appreciate.

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  11. Truly enchanting piece, well done!

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    1. Blogoratti. Greetings and thanks for your comment! Hope to see you more on these pages..

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  12. Powerful and really descriptive write that draws you in, well done.

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    1. Many thanks for your visit, Alan. Glad you enjoyed...:)

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  13. What an image of that tiger.. the night truly belongs to the predators.

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    1. Brudberg, I appreciate your kind comment. Nice to have you on here, thank you!

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  14. Panachali,

    A fantastic recount of the tiger and the night prowl to find prey..The place of freedom, but no-one would lend a paw..But, the tiger is only doing what nightfall suggests in its mind. Bringing home the prey..Sad to imagine how these animals may well be forever wiped out...
    Eileen

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    1. Our tigers are driven to edge of extinction by poachers and loss of habitat, Eileen. This is a seriously sad and heart breaking issue. ...Thank you very much. I’m pleased you came here.

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  15. What a beautiful nature poem! I could so vividly witness each scene and found myself seeing the tiger both as hero and villain of the story. In truth he is neither - just a part of the mysterious puzzle, like us. So sad, the tiger is endangered. Glad there are many who are trying to help preserve his species.

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    1. Yes, it is sad indeed, myrna!! Many conservationists fear that without drastic action, the only place the tiger will soon be found in India is in its zoos. :((
      Thankfully , Indian govt has woken up and I am sure, with the help of the conservationists, the roars of the jungles will continue to reverberate and never fade into death.
      I appreciate your kind comment. Nice to have you on here always, thank you!

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  16. I too find you have conveyed nature's ways very powerfully. It is a pity we too are the predators, but predators who do not respect nature's balance.

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    1. Oh, you couldn't have said it better, Gabrielle. We certainly cannot have peace among men whose hearts delight in killing any living creature. We are perhaps the worst kind.. :(
      Nice of you to visit, thank you!

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  17. Very vivid and the chills went down the spine.

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    1. I am glad you find it so, thank you for visiting, vandana! :)

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  18. The jungle at night is not tge safest of places. Well written.

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    1. Many thanks for dropping by with your meaningful comments, much appreciated, Meister!

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