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| Photo Courtesy David Sheldrick Trust. |
Shukuru,
Elephant of the great heart.
Once an orphan, still a child,
Now you play the mother's part.
Do you remember how you lost your mum,
Leaving you the traumatised one?
Now Kithaka feels your consoling trunk,
And loving heart.
What guides the love you now impart?
Is that just instinct?
Or intelligent art?
Shukuru,
Elephant of the great soul.
You need take on the mother's role.
Do you whisper? " I know the pain.
But here you're with family again."
As poachers take their deadly toll,
The killing soars out of control,
To satisfy the Chinese role.
That bloody trade, so inhumane!
When will it end?
What will remain?
Shukuru,
Elephant of the loving heart,
You show us how the healing starts.
This photo now just sent to me
Of human made refugees,
Provokes my thought, how can it be,
That man feels such superiority
Over the lowly beasts?
When it comes to love and morality,
Who knows the most?
Who knows the least?
Read about elephant's intelligence and complex social codes here- Elephant intelligence
How is it, that young orphans themselves, welcome a strange orphan to their young herd?
Why can we not believe they have the intelligence to recognize what each new orphan has been through, and can console another to recover from trauma?
Who are the beasts?
Read the orphan stories here- http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/orphans.asp one of the leading elephant and rhino sanctuaries in Africa.
Our plan is to visit the sanctuary in Nairobi, hopefully as early as July 2012. It's a big buzz to read about about our adopted ele orphans in each monthly report; we really look forward to them!
For a small annual amount you too can help in saving Africa's wildlife. When we all work together we make a big difference.
11 comments:
Oh Jim!
What lovely heartfelt words you write!
I wonder these exact things, why is it that we feel so superior? How does one species who deliberately kills others to extinction feel smart? How does the supposed most intelligent species on earth not recognise that with each extinction we create, we are, ourselves one step closer to being no more?
What will it take for man to realise that the true value lies in the preservation what we've been gifted on this earth? Why do we feel so superior to animals who seem to have it so much more "figured out" than we do as a species? I wish I had the answers, but until the answers are found I am so hopeful that there are amazing people developing amazing refuges and charities and funds to help the animals, and proud that there seems to be growing awareness. I really do live in hope that we'll re-educate before it's too late!
Thanks Ree, so many questions we need to find answers too. I believe travel bloggers can do a lot in raising awareness of the poaching issues. Africa without rhino and elephants simply won't be worth going to. The big 5 may be the big dead 5 soon so what will be the drawcard?
You're right Joanna, maybe ''human'' is the derogatory word these days?
mother and child playing together... nothing like it...
great picture..
Cool post, Jim! If you keep it up, you're gonna make me want to pull out my old poet's quill and drop my best Yeats impression.
But on a serious note, the older I get the less tolerance I have for poachers. Every time I read about their latest desecration, I feel my blood boil. I would love to see African park rangers allowed to shoot poachers on site, or at least take the eye for an eye approach (you cut off a rhino's nose, they cut off your nose; take an elephant's tusk and you lose you teeth). I know it's barbaric and won't change anything, but right now it just seems like the threatened consequences aren't a deterrent.
Good on you for being so devoted to the wildlife conservation cause. Wish there were more bloggers like you!
Really lovely, moving and insightful Jim . Thanks.
The irony of the inhumanity of humans. Touching poem, Jim. It painfully answers the question.
God bless Shukuru and Kithaka!
Oh, and how about asking your friend to set this to music?
Beautiful. Love the poem and love the elephants. You are very talented, Jim! :)
Deep in my heart is my love for the animls of this world, be they large or small, their creation is one of the greatest gifts we have been given.
Thank you Jim for this post, your talent shines bright.
I like the photo and the very heartfelt poem. And I like that it's in rhyme. Makes me want to go on an African safari.
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