“Human beings have dominion over nature.” How absurd! Beyond smoke&mirrors, this is an absolute lie of a devastating magnitude. Human’s have inflicted inconceivable abuses on the natural world, as a result of this most self-destructive belief. For example, it has given birth to these abominations we call zoos. These institutions of cruel incarceration are a horrifying tragedy of perverse human arrogance.
bores a stare of molten gold
searing deep to burn your soul
a beautiful, furious, calm inferno
unyielding is this panther’s pace
held captive in this foolish zoo
brutalized by human arrogance
denied the freedom that is its soul
cold eyes rivet snarled contempt
unfathomed pools of quiet rage
on this panther paces paces
turns and paces back he paces
graceful stride of brute resolve
presses on to test his bounds
proud this captive soul just paces
frustration turns anger retraces
this brutal prison of false environ
does not fool this mighty beast
observe how he continues pacing
instinct certain this is not home
his piercing gaze fixed well beyond
his suffered fate of cruel confine
see the panther pacing pacing
his nature steeled his spirit strong
relentless sorrow wild longing
drive on and on his constant stride
this will not break his fierce resolve
he tracks freedom he stalks life
imprisoned he will forever pace
and he will pace
and he will die
~ ~
caged beast close your eyes
have no fear of letting go
dream of wild freedom
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2019
This is a powerful write. And now I am feeling very guilty indeed as we will take our grandchildren to a zoo on Thursday….
I will say this though…places like the San Diego Zoo, the National Zoo in DC, and the accreditation aspects that are very tough indeed and many do not even try for it….those places that do are working with animals to avoid extinction, etc. Where we are going Friday, they do have accreditation so it makes me feel a bit better about it. The pacing motif here in your poem is so well placed.
I have great respect for organizations that protect endangered or threatened animals in natural sanctuaries, or help animals who are injured, to then release them back into their natural habitats — but those ARE NOT zoos Lillian, where animals are confined solely so humans can gawk at them. And zoos don’t teach anyone anything about the species incarcerated therein, because the trapped animals adopt a wholly unnatural regimen of activity — for the sake of survival. Animals videoed or filmed in their natural environments, doing their natural activities, in a manner that does not disturb or traumatize them – that is how we should learn about animals. Accreditation to be a “ZOO” means nothing with regard to protecting the animals. “ZOOING”, no matter how we try to shine it up, is cruelty to the beautiful beasts of this earth — and it is shameful. I am not trying to be unkind to you personally Lillian. I, to my personal shame, and millions of other people, have allowed, by our tolerance, this barbaric practice to go on far longer than any supposedly “intelligent” species should have ever permitted. That is my unwavering opinion.
Well said, Rob.
Thank you Jane! I expanded the overall expression of my disgust regarding this current situation in our United States with the writing of my “Secrets & Fears” — my other poem in response to Amata’s Smoke and Mirrors prompt.
A powerful write, brother. As a child, visiting the zoo was a wondrous adventure. As an adult you clearly see the sadness in animal’s eyes, and the ugly cracks in the fantasy. Used to love the Sci Fi tales about humans being kept in alien zoos–oh the horror of it, and the irony.
Thank you brother! I love those sci-fi “reversed captivity” plots as well Glenn. I always think, touché! You can read my response above to Lillian for my expanded feelings on this matter. I was uncomfortable at zoos, even as a child. I could immediately recognize that deep sadness even then. I hate zoos now, and will not attend or support them. My daughter-in-law takes my grandson, but I have explained why I do not join them — stopping short of creating a family feud.
Rob I know exactly what you’re talking about with the zoos, and it isn’t only for land creatures. When I watched, “Blackfish” it haunted me. It pains me when I see people interpreting The Bible verses as have dominion over every living thing. Stewardship is a very different concept than dominion. Talking about the reversed captivity theme, prisons are caged human, and the US has more caged humans than any other country. How can you reasonably believe that humans that will cage their brethren in vast numbers would have the sensitivity not to cage and otherwise abuse and exploit non-human lives? We could live in peace with all creatures if we chose to. Our arrogance makes it impossible for “modern” man that uses the Bible and other holy books to bludgeon and destroy our home, Earth.
Rage on Lisa, rage on! You very succinctly painted what I see as the terrifying big picture of humankind’s stupidity. We not only have a twisted deadly distorted understanding of stewardship to mean “control at our whim” — we do not even grasp the concept of stewardship at all. That it means to do our part to nurture, sustain, and support balance in this world… especially our balance as human beings, in the big picture. Human arrogance of dominion really chaps my ass!! And remember, in the case of incarcerating animals — they genuinely are innocent. I truly believe humankind will pay in the end — hell, we’re paying now!
Genesis 26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
I’m afraid God engineered this domination project, so let’s stop letting the Bible off the hook, shall we? I’m with you all the way, Rob.
Jane, I believe God/Gawd, whatever the fount source of eternal/universal energy happens to be, that is alluded to by that umbrella human construct, had nothing whatsoever to do with this plethora of madness induced cruelties currently embraced by many opportunistic human organizations, and the human beings behind them. This was all perpetrated by the asshat power control freaks that wrote the numerous initial works of fiction, conceived to manipulate ignorant humans into making theses initial morons, and those that have followed in their lineage, both very powerful and extremely wealthy. I wouldn’t be surprised if the numb skulls who now follow the Avengers, don’t make some kind of religion out of their hysteria in 1,000 years — anointing Stan Lee as their divine creator. Human beings can be so easily manipulated into a pack of mindless sheep, using the “Crowd Dynamic”. In 1968, I inadvertently helped start a weekend long uprising on the campus of University of Dayton, in Ohio, simply by my friend Tom Sutphin and I, as a joke, chanting “panty raid” in the midst of a very small portion of the crowd that gathered on the outdoor basketball courts following a particularly important, and hard-won victory by our basketball team playing in the NCAA Tournament. It spread so quickly, and to such a degree, (and to my shock) that the main girl’s dorm became completely taken over by an ever growing crowd — eventually being put on complete lockdown for the weekend. The administration had to call in outside authorities to assist our campus police in eventually getting the situation under control. And that started strictly as a joke, a dare by a few friends. The rumor in the months following blamed an unnamed dissident anti-war organization, claiming it was the beginning of an attempt to take over the university. That weekend I learned firsthand about the power and madness of the “Crowd Dynamic”. Wow, I just rambled way down the road with this, way beyond the topic. Oh well…
I could feel the rage in your poetry Rob. It is tragic what we do to both animals and humans in the name of domination!
And with regard to animals Dwight, they are truly innocent victims!
I enjoyed your interpretation of the Rilke poem, Rob!
Thank you Kim! For certain, the Rilke poem helped inspired “Beautiful”. As did the haiku I added as an epilogue. I had written that in 2004 in respons to my already boiling rage regarding our terribly misguided cruel treatment of animals — epitomized by our zoo system! My other poem inspired by Amaya’s Smoke and Mirrors prompt, “Secrets & Fears”, was driven by my disgust and anger regarding the insanity and bullshit that is guiding this country, and the stupidity of our citizenry for tolerating this shit show of blatant lies and manipulation.
Deep words to express the panther’s despair.
Thank you Astrid!
That pacing is what we all should see and feel… this is not how animals should be treated…
No Björn, it definitely is not!
Yes indeed Rob, well stated.
Thank you Paul… 🙂
Captures with beauty my ambivalence about zoos…even though at this point they seem the only “safe” place for some species. And it’s also a good metaphor for the many caged humans of the world.
Thank you and I hear you Kerfe, but I feel a safe place for animals in trouble would be a natural sanctuary, or in the case of injured animals, a hospital with the focus of getting these animals back to their natural habitat ASAP. These sanctuaries and hospitals would be staffed with trained individuals there to truly protect or heal the animals. Animals in cages for the sole purpose to allow humans to gawk at them is an abomination — and should be a crime. As far as caged animals vs caged humans is concerned — 100% of the animals are innocent!
Beautiful, powerful write, Rob. I could feel your rage mixing with the panther’s. Unbelievable cruelty in our world.
Thank you Sara. Yes, humans are capable of inconceivable inhumanity!
And the thing is, people justify the existence of zoos and permanent animal captivity for the sake of educating younger generations and fostering a love of animals in hopes that they’ll one day fight to protect their habitats. It’s beyond ironic that it is a crying joke. I agree with you that photography/videography in non-invasive ways is the more ideal way to learn about these creatures in their natural environments. They are our brethren; their freedom is our freedom.
What these children actually see in a zoo is a broken or a neurotic animal, or both, whose true personalty has been stifled as they try to adjust to incarceration. That teaches a child nothing — beyond what despair and entrapment looks like. Zoos exist to make money at the expense of the animals. Sanctuaries to protect endangered animals in their natural habit — without the invasion of human beings to gawk at them. Non endagered animals should be left the hell alone. Injured animals can be treated in proper hospitals, then set free in to wild! Video, photograph, or film them non-invasively. Use this media to truly learn and teach about the animal.
I have always hated the circus and think they should be banned from caging animals and training elephants. Once I was old enough to understand, I came to hate the zoo. I refuse to go.
This actually brought a tear to my eye and though that tear didn’t fall, it tore my heart. I feel a certain…. Something I can’t explain for animals. I respect and admire their greatness whether it be a majestic lion or a tiny hamster. (those little hamsters are crazy though!)
In short, I feel ya with this one.
I have always felt this thing between humans regarding animals is an arrogance thing Lyn, perhaps brought on my our fear of many animals, and lack of understanding of and empathy towards them. We have a perverse kind of tendency to want to control things we fear or don’t understand. It’s like an “I am not afraid of you, I am better and smarter than you — and I will prove it” by making you submit to my will. That attitude can also unleash cruelty in people. Combine that with the religious “dominion over the earth” thing you find in many religions — well, in the end, animals get abused, and it really chaps my ass. For a so-called intelligent species, we certainly don’t act like it many times.
Oh my, was I such a hypocrite today! So I read your poem and responded in the morning. Then, before even noon, we took out a present my five year old got for her birthday from a relative: an ant farm. So my daughters and her friend captured six ants and placed them into this little contraption in which they were to forge tunnels by eating edible slime developed by astronauts or something. I found myself gawking like an idiot at the abducted creatures just hours after writing my first comment and feeling righteous that my children had never been to a zoo. After about an hour we all came to our senses and just released the ants back into the yard. What a learning experience for me! I also think the kids (at least the five year old) internalized the lesson of ‘How would you like it if an alien stole you from your family and put you in a box with nothing but mysterious slime to eat?’
Your children might have more fun watching the ants in nature, in your yard, as they carry “gigantic” (relative to their size) leaves, sticks, blades of grass, etc. — right there in front of them, in the ants natural habitats. My grandson Alex thinks ants are amazing. We got him a magnifying glass, and he watches them in the yard all the time. He loves it. We also got him the National Geographic’s Kids book entitled “Ants” on Amazon ($4.99 paperback). It is full of color pictures and detailed illustrations. Alex has learned more about ants this way than he ever would have with an ant farm. Just a thought Amaya. BTW, keeping an ant is probably not the same cruelty as caging a 225 lbs. 7’ long wild black panther… IMO