TIGER AND THE LAMB

Dimly was the evening lit,
Bleakly shone the moon,
Tick-tick the clock ticked
Seven past the noon.

Staggered forth a thirsty lamb
To where a brook was,
Tiger hid hushed and dumb
Behind the lemon grass.

Alighting beast anon to pounce,
“Spare me”, the lamb cried,
“I weigh lean half an ounce
Won’t appease your appetite”.

“My limbs frail and lean,
Born back the dozen days,
Insipid flesh and belly thin,
Just learnt to graze”.

“How ravenous a tiger is,
Grasses, we munch not,
Predate preys not to please.
To live”, the tiger roared.

“Our food’s hard earned,
Got two cubs to feed,
Empty belly I hunt
We don’t live on tumble-weed”.

“Labyrinth-nature plays,
Doleful creatures stray.
Foodweb’s a maze,
For long it’ll stay”.


“Feet injured and teeth blunt,
Cubs in me has no faith,
If I don’t hunt,
Won’t they starve to death?”

“If morrow, grasses plead
to feed on huss
Or on a fetid meat,
Would you forgo grass?”

“Devour me”, the lamb bleat,
“My skin for you, friend.
Let your cubs feed
Till I wholly end”.



Karma Thukten
4th Of August, 2010

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