He didn’t so much as walk, he prowled,
strutting through the late-night crowd,
Jackal-girls and Hyena-boys giggling behind
but he paid them no never mind.
He is the King of this grimy parade;
self-possessed and indeed, self-made;
a lion sure of his place in the pride,
certain his will won’t be defied.
Yet there is always a roguish young buck
on the lookout to change his luck.
The scavengers want Him to call the lad's bluff;
he had better be ready if he’s going to act tough.
The King pretends he hardly exists;
a challenge the boy finds hard to resist.
The big man isn’t having anything of the sort,
but alas, he knows he has one resort.
So they face off across the city jungle,
neither willing to kick start the rumble.
The hyenas and jackals all spit and curse
and wait to see who will come off worse.
But before the fight can truly start,
a ruckus in the crowd causes them to part;
in the jungle, the lions are its heart and soul,
but in the city, it’s the pigs who are in control.
Comments
Tornado | May 25, 2010 - 14:41
Lion King meets slum dog! Made me grunt out loud!The ending brought it all home very nicely.
Silver Spun Sand | May 25, 2010 - 17:43
Really like the imagery you have used in this one, Dynamaso and the last line is inspired.
Tina:-)
Dynamaso | May 26, 2010 - 01:14
Tornado, thanks for reading and commenting. And for grunting too. Glad you enjoyed this.
Dynamaso | May 26, 2010 - 01:18
Tina, thanks very much. The police always win, regardless - it is a bit silly lads like these never learn though.
maggyvaneijk | May 26, 2010 - 12:22
I like this! I could imagine it as a narrative to film. Imposing the animalistic on the human. Great stuff!
MistakenMagic | May 26, 2010 - 15:44
Really great analogy, Mark! Love the idea of an African savannah encapsulated within a city!
Magic xxx
Dynamaso | May 27, 2010 - 00:13
Maggy, thanks for your kind comment.
I write 'visually', an ability which absolutlely baffles my wife, who claims to have no visual sense whatsoever. Maybe it is just the frustrated artist in me spilling over. Either way, pleased you enjoyed this.
Dynamaso | May 27, 2010 - 00:14
Magic, thanks to you as well. I am people-watcher and often apply my love of the animal kingdom to humanistic behaviour - it usually makes sense too.
SteveM | May 27, 2010 - 12:02
GREAT !!! I think Magic summed it up very well. You always manage to 'set the scene' in so few words.
Dynamaso | May 31, 2010 - 03:22
Steve, thanks mate! Trying to get a few short stories finished off at the moment but been really busy. Hopefully in the next week or so I'll have them up here. Keen to see what you think.
Dynamaso | June 1, 2010 - 00:23
Thanks very much to the cherry-givers. I love fruit!
insertponceyfre... | June 1, 2010 - 04:24
I missed this before Dynamaso - it's very good! I'm not sure I understand what you mean about your wife not having visual sense? How else do people imagine what they write? I mean in which other way? Well done for the cherry
Dynamaso | June 1, 2010 - 05:36
Insertponcey... thanks very much. Glad you found it and like it too.
Now, to answer your question, sort of... My wife is a very good journalist with a great recollection for facts, words and meanings. She also has incredible editing and grammar skills. However, she says she has no visual imagination, something I find difficult to understand myself.
For instance, she can't look at a furnished room and imagine it rearranged. Likewise, she can't picture anything in her mind, instead asking me to draw it so she can see what I mean. She calls it a trade off for her great word skills.
Don't ask me how she imagines scenarios but she does. I've never directly asked her this question but I will now.