Play in The Wild

When you grow big would you want to eat me?

Where will you wander and who will you be?

Perhaps you’ll be gracious, perhaps you’ll be kind –

To let me run free and not charge from behind.

Or, maybe you’ll crush me with your massive bulk

Turn green - show your teeth, maybe turn into hulk.

Best I don’t come here for a walk late at night

Because if you’re real hungry you won’t be polite.

Magnificent beasts, each one of you rare

You don’t need to worry, you don’t need to care

Knowing that one day you’ll grow big and strong,

Journeying the land that you love and belong.

As hunters discovered your instincts were right

You fought back and hardly were beat in a fight.

You wandered through rainstorms, got caught in the drought,

Savages wild you survived without doubt.

I’m listening, I’m looking you right in the eyes,

Tell me the truth without your disguise –

Your wonder, magnificence, grace and divine

Each one explain to me – How do you shine?

Let me go first, it’s about me don’t you see

Elusively hiding way up in this tree.

Body of strength and body of speed

Hunting my prey, leaping high I must feed.

I don’t hang in packs, prefer being alone,

Swimming, distinct purring and chewing a bone –

My spots they disguise me removing my sight

Secretive hunter - stealth in the night.

I’m different to you I’m eating all day,

Caring and clever, love swimming and play,

No meat for me I eat plants, bark and fruit,

My trunk sucks up water and can dig up a root.

My tusks are quite handy I use them a lot

For digging, debarking, for clearing the rot.

I live in a herd and we live very long

My brain is the largest, my body is strong.

You’re great as you are I completely agree

But see the thing is, you won’t outrun me!

I communicate simply by doing a poo!

The smell is unique, so we know, who is who!

My friend the Oxpecker, he rides on my back

Eating ticks, sensing danger, alerts me: ‘Attack!’

Giant horns that define me, my splendour, my face –

Easily frightened but will charge and I’ll chase.

I’m in awe of you, true, I am moody and grim,

Stampede with no warning, protect, love to swim.

Peacefully grazing along thousands in time –

Will only cause danger if I sense there’s a crime.

Alerting the herd that danger lurks near

My eyesight is poor, but I smell and sense fear.

My notable memory I remember a face,

Solid rock head horns that charge at a pace.

Worthy, respected we truly survive –

A virtuous reason we’re called ‘The Big 5’ –

When I grow like my dad I will too wear a crown,

The largest of cats and I’ll never back down.

Will sleep in the day, stalk and hunt in the night,

My thick woolly mane, it’s a glorious sight.

My roar is heard far, I will eat tons of meat –

I’ll protect my pride bravely and I will not be beat.

And there is your story, roaming free you belong,

Under African skies you are raging and strong –

Imposing in stature, bold kind of beast

Rest under Baobab tree until you must feast.

To sum it all up - Leopard’s fur has got spots,

Elephant tusks, trunk twists into knots,

Priceless horns of the Rhino, fierce Buffalo feared –

My Lion has a mane, throughout the kingdom revered.

I’ll tuck you in tightly sing a lullaby to sleep

Resting your heads your souls yours to keep.

The orange sky setting, and I must sleep too –

We’ll wake in the morning not trapped in a zoo.