a cow and a tiger how should they meet in a poem?
logic demands that carnivore eat herbivore
unsurprisingly Cow has a better idea
let’s have a conversation says Cow
you sit there and I’ll sit here and we will talk
but says Tiger before talk I must eat
no way says Cow
every civilised being knows talking and eating go together
Tiger takes action leaps for the throat
no eat no talk says Tiger mouth full of flesh
Note
The non-conversation of Cow and Tiger made me think of Putin’s actions this week. What more can be said?
When you look at these two photos the tiger doesn’t look so dangerous, but the feet are enormous. The buffalo cow with its huge horns looks as though it could defend itself, but the throat is vulnerable.
Both photos were taken by me in India in 2009 when I was writing my poetry collection Cow.