Sunday 14 February 2010

Year of the Tiger

Jade Emperor knew your value, all those years ago
choosing you as Heaven's Guardian
a plain, untested cat.

The animals were restless, down on earth below,
fighting humans and destroying
their lives and livelihoods.

Jade Emperor sent you down to quell the rioting
as humankind's defender -
a plain untested cat.

You defeated all the animals, drove them all away
to win your badge of honour -
a strip for every beast.

That is how you earned your stripes.
In return we claim to worship you.

Strange worship this, burning down your homes,
tearing you limb from limb,
grinding down your bones.

Thinking we can drink the essence of your strength,
steal your valour with your stripes,
become you by wearing you.

Is it not enough to see you, be inspired
by magnificence and grace, agility and strength,
evolution to perfection?

Your year dawns.
Inauspicious some say.
Perhaps that's your revenge.


The Year of the Tiger starts today. WWF are working on a concentrated tiger conservation programme for the Year of the Tiger and are aiming to double the number of tigers in the wild before 2022, the next Year of the Tiger. You can read about it here.

11 comments:

Forthvalley scribe said...

Thanks for the reminder, Juliet - now to email my Chinese sister-in-law!

Titus said...

Wonderful celebration of the tiger, Poet, and let's hope The Year of the Tiger will be an auspicious one for the species.

steven said...

crafty green thanks for the heads up about the tiger initiative. i love the connection to the chinese zodiac. steven

Bill said...

Controlled emotion. Very powerful. And very topical.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Beautiful Juliet - it fits in so well with my tiger post yesterday too.

Thomma Lyn said...

Wow, Crafty -- what a moving poem. Tigers are magnificent, majestic. Thanks for the heads-up about WWF's program to help them.

Diane AZ said...

Powerful Tiger poem and also good to learn about the tiger conservation program.

RG said...

We got a Tiger over here who is not having a good year so far at all!

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Love this tiger piece!

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