Panthers

once upon a time
I ripped the wings from my spine
but then an elephant shuffled by
and I felt like an idiot

buffeted side to side
a monarch begins to reside
the lion protects his pride
while I spin a cocoon for my ego

life flowing into the atmosphere
the soul transcending the stratosphere
as smooth as the dawn, it reflects like a mirror
and I hammer the grudge with inflection

inflection that breaks with the moon
begins the journey all too soon
a swan laments the loss with a croon
the elephant stops and turns to look

eyes boring into my head
I no longer hear the pound of it's tread
treading the trek of the dead
a syringe will puncture my vein

the soliloquy of my soul never ends
and conversation never mends
that great beasts refusal to bend
it's torment is foreign

and will always be

alien