BELOVED

.
I love your strong athletic body,
And the creamy softness of your skin;
But most of all I love
The radiance within.

I run my fingers through your hair,
And gently stroke your cheek;
But you have given me everything,
The heaven that I seek.

Your glorious body, full of joy,
Melts into mine;
But it is your calm serenity,
Which makes me shine.

Together we will walk and run,
Like little children wildly play,
And dance and gambol in the sun.

And later, when we're growing old,
Still we'll tread through space and time,
And march towards the promised land;
Hand in hand our spirits shine.

These words I give with all my love,
To you, eternally my bride;
You've wrapped your arms around my soul,
And wrought a miracle inside.

I love you: far, far more than wife,
You've been the strength that's made me whole;
You are the centre of my life.

_______________________________________________

For D.B.

CHIMPANZEE

.
I sit in my cage,
Or endlessly shuffle
Around my enclosure,
Boiling with rage;

And every night
I collect more stones
To hurl at you next day,
Hoping to smash your bones
Because I hate you
For what you have done to me;

I am not like the gentle orang-utans:
I yearn to charge and rampage
Through the dark forests
With the rest of my clan,
Invading other chimpanzees' territories,
And seizing their lands;

Tearing them to pieces,
Slaughtering as many as we can,
Just as man does to man;
That is what we do,
Just like you.

You call this a zoo,
Where you can view
And learn;

Yet all I do is burn
With loathing for all of you;
There is nothing
You can learn from me,
For we are vicious and vindictive
Senseless killers,
Just like you.

You put me here,
Just to amuse
The bevies of cruel gaping fools,
With their vacant chattering faces,
And those who come
Purporting to study.

So I wage my private war
On you:
There is nothing else for me to do.

____________________________________

Note: chimpanzees, the nearest of man's relatives, attack and kill neighbouring groups and occupy their territory. A chimpanzee in a zoo gathered stones each night to throw at visitors the following day.