Saturday, August 1, 2015

For Cecil: Stop Trophy Hunting.

We can feel the heartache
we can feel the lion's pain
we know there's a hunter hanging round
He wants Cecil
to take his mane
can't let that lion get away again
hunter needs a trophy hanging round

But hunters come
Hunters go
Conservation's their thing you know...
Why aren't lots of wildlife hanging round?
Firing their rifle
Shooting their bow
Taking their trophy any way they know
There ain't too much wildlife hanging round.

The camera man
He just sees
Just wants to take a picture away from there
He don't need no trophies hanging round
But a hunter has another need
a different song to a deeper greed
just to have their trophy hanging round

So hunters come
Hunters go
something they don't you to want to know
There ain't too much wildlife hanging round
But since they've come to take a life
words aren't enough
it just ain't right
we won't see our Cecil hanging round.
And we know why no wildlife's hanging round.





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Friday, July 31, 2015

Beyond The Sum Of All His Fears.


Poached rhino picture courtesy Facebook Rhino groups.


An ageing soldier crying softly, beside a body on the ground
Sheds a tear for his young slain friend
He never thought this would come down.
He'd thrown away all his bush gear, camo paint and forage cap
Spent his life forgetting firefights in dark shadows
Without a thought that he'd go back.

Life has dreams from hard foundations, memories with no shed tears
Struck with the heart ache of our creations
In the invulnerability of our young years
From the vat of our maturation brews a spirit of adventure
That spills towards our next generation
Whom we protect beyond our fears.

The young soldier survived the bush war, threw his life into his dreams
Played a part in the creation
Of an Eden ... or so it seems.
Raised a calf from its lost mum, fed it every day by hand

Grew to love his lost young orphan
Sanctuary for all became the plan.

It is such a sweet temptation for us to simply turn away

To ignore the wildlife decimation
That supplies the Asian trade.
The ineptitude of our nations, the impotence of governments
Sends a message to all caring people
To care a damn is a piece of shit.

Aching heart beside his slain friend, new resolve and a pledge is made

To seek the killers of his now lost brother
The one he'd raised in his sanctuary
But old soldiers know the danger, the blood and all the fears
Never rush to don the camo 
Never want to wear the gear.

Now there's a deeper call of duty, calling way beyond his fears.

He heads along the faint new pathway
Tracking two legged predators
Seeks his quarry in long shadows, where deadly ambushes are laid
Amongst flashing memories of firefights
A last patrol for his young compadre.


Life has dreams from hard foundations, memories of old despairs

Struck with the heart ache of our creations
Amidst the anger and the tears
A deadly shot strikes its target: he never wanted to kill again
But he'll protect his new generation
Beyond the sum of all his fears.


"Slaap sag, rustig ou grote. Slaap sag."
"Rest in peace, old friend. Rest in peace."

South African musician, David Easthouse, has adapted the above to his latest music masterpiece. Check it out here-
David Easthouse- Beyond the sum of all his fears.



Members of the Pilanesberg National Park Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) stand guard as conservationists and police investigate the scene of a rhino poaching incident April 19, 2012. — Reuters pic


The Rhino poaching war escalates. 668 rhino were slaughtered in 2012 in South Africa. This year is off to an equally depressing start: 393 as at end of April! At this rate, 2015 may see over 1500 killed, and that figure is just for South Africa.
This is extermination of a species.



Many reserve owners, who in their youth may have been involved in the wars for independence in Southern Africa, are now - in what should be today's peace - having to take up arms and fight a new battle, this time with the survival of rhino at stake.

Dreams to create wildlife sanctuaries on their land are being crushed. Lives are being lost. Rhino being driven to extinction to supply Asian demand for rhino horn.


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Sunday, April 19, 2015

Rescue Me.

Jan Schnell, a Copenhagen-based musician, asked me to submit a poem suitable for a musicvideo he was creating to contribute to Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit organisation near Tampa, Florida, USA.


Rescue Me. Jim McIntosh. 2015.

Tiger, tiger, eyes still gleam
in forest shadows of your dreams.
Alone in truckstop steel-caged lair
Humans laugh at your blank stare.
Rescue me
Rescue me
Oh, won't you help to rescue me.

Lion cub: oh, cuddly toy
Look at how man destroys
Grow too big to bring us joy
You'll be sold to macho boys.
Rescue me
Rescue me
Oh, won't you help to rescue me.

Lost jungles once in your command
There's no place left to make a stand
Now all are caged throughout the land
Steel forests locked by human hand

Rescue me
Rescue me
Oh, won't you help to rescue me.
Rescue me
Rescue me
Oh, won't you help to rescue me.

The video has gone on to appear on World Top Rated.
What a great team!
Click on the video link and enjoy!
Music: Niels Ellekrog Weldingh/Jan Schnell
All instruments: Niels Ellekrog Weldingh
Lyrics:
Lead/backing vocals: Jan Schnell
Video mix: Jan Schnell.




This video was created to help promote preserving our wildlife in the wild, but, sadly, many big cats are kept as exotic pets. Big Cat Rescue offers rescued lions, tigers, leopard, etc, a home on 55 acres at their Tampa sanctuary. Donations are welcome.


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