THIS POEM IS NOT PRESENTED AS I INTENDED (ie. DOUBLE SPACED).
THIS HAS BEEN DONE BY PERSONS BEYOND MY CONTROL
THUS DIMINISHING THE READING EXPERIENCE.
🙈
The place was called the Tower Zoo
In Blackpool by the sea;
I went there with grandfather who
Showed aminals to me.
I was but a boy then
Around about age nine,
The day would be my birthday when
He said the day was mine.
We strolled around the cages,
We looked at creatures grand;
We walked about for ages,
He held me by the hand.
And suddenly I saw him,
The saddest sight I\'d seen
A dozing beast, forlorn and grim,
A king without a queen.
A sedated lion lying
Within a prison small;
I recall that I was crying,
I felt my teardrops fall.
Sultan was the lion\'s name,
His nameplate told me so;
I asked the keeper \"What\'s your game?\"
\"He has no room to grow\".
He rejoined \"A full grown big cat!\"
(He ought to be ashamed);
He told me that the cat was at
The zoo-land to be tamed.
I wondered what the hell it was,
Whatever was his use?
I remember thinking this because
They should have let him loose.
I gazed in awe at his great size
My soblets dripped like rain;
I heeded his half open eyes,
His regal tail and main.
I thought this day should be the best
And merriest I had had,
But it emerged to manifest
The saddest of sad ~ sad.
The king was drowsing, half asleep,
He couldn\'t hardly roar.
Nor raise a murmur ~ not a peep,
He couldn\'t even snore.
Although an infant I still knew
(These thoughts were in my head);
I still knew a thing or two ~
May be the better dead.
But now so many years have passed
I still detect a chill;
An image that will last and last...
I muse about him still.
Though he is lost to better things,
As noble as he stood;
This mighty Sultan ~ king of kings
Will be with me for good.