Snow Spirit
The snow leopard crouched on the ground,
As silent as the grave...
And there he paused without a sound,
Another meal to crave...
His empty belly told him straight,
This was the perfect time,
Be vigilant, endure the wait...
No higher must you climb.
Beyond him was a subtle stone,
A boulder nothing more...
Yet shaped as though now not alone,
His camouflage felt sure.
The trap was set... his eyes alert,
His ears tuned in for clues...
His legs like springs to sprint and spurt
And chase away the blues.
An hour passed without a word,
No rustling on the breeze...
No song tune from a flying bird,
No buzzing from the bees.
Then all at once, quite sudden like,
A broken twig went crack!
He moved as if a lightning strike,
His brand new prey to track!
With leaps and bounds and sudden swerves,
The leopard lunged and pounced!
Yes, patience is a skill that serves
When hunger is announced.
Without new prey, the leopard dies...
The big cat feeds once more...
To some, this truth is never nice,
Yet such is Nature's Law...
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Snow Spirit'.
The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard stared intently,
At all things near and far...
While at times, he looked quite friendly,
You know how wild cats are.
A tiny cat can mew meow
And people say, how cute!
Yet time goes on, then fates allow
That cat to be a brute!
The snow leopard stood serenely,
His paws poised on the pulse...
With his eyes surveying keenly,
As in all leopards' skulls...
While his heart was beating slowly...
His mind was thinking fast.
Though his hunting skills weren't holy,
He didn't look downcast.
Survival favours those that eat
A hearty meal each day,
Enduring both the cold and heat,
Outwitting all their prey.
That's why the leopard had to learn
That patience is the key...
And why, he, too, must wait his turn,
For breakfast, lunch and tea...
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Snow Leopard'.
The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
With Intent
The lonely leopard forced to find
His next meal now and then,
Walked with intent, with single mind,
With one thought yet again...
To hunt alone, with none to blame
If something should go wrong,
Just basic skills that stayed the same,
That's why he must stay strong...
He passed the time reserving power,
Till his next meal arrived,
Perhaps within this coming hour,
Based on the plans contrived...
His eyes looked left, his eyes looked right,
Surveying all there was,
Perhaps to see something take flight
Then chase or suffer loss...
The lonely leopard sleek and fast
And ruthless, come what may,
Reflected on his solemn past,
The trail of fallen prey...
He lived the life that Nature gave,
To kill yet not repent...
Like predators who daily crave,
He now walked with intent...
Denis Martindale, copyright, May 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'With Intent'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Secret Stalker
The long-limbed leopard stared ahead
With longing in his eyes,
For he observed the prey that fled
From him in great surprise.
The creature panicked suddenly,
Its heartbeat oh so swift,
Chased by the leopard up a tree,
Its mighty weight to lift.
They prey was light upon its feet,
The branches to traverse,
The leopard wasn't quite so neat...
Things went from bad to worse...
The prey went through the lush green leaves
As if it didn't care,
The leopard lingered like all thieves
Who sense when to beware...
The prey was gone, he knew not how,
So he turned round displeased
To make his way across the bough
Because the hunt had ceased...
Through gritted teeth, he slowly made
His way back down to earth...
'Next time, ' he vowed, 'I'll make the grade!
I'll run for all I'm worth! '
Denis Martindale, copyright, November 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Secret Stalker'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Night Watchman
The leopard's eyes scanned left and right,
As sunshine faded fast,
For soon would come the moon and night,
When one more day had past
And eyes must now be on alert
With instincts borne to bear,
In case there was a need to spurt,
Escaping fast elsewhere...
The leopard's eyes were cooling down
As twilight gathered close,
As clear blue skies turn somewhat brown
And brilliant sunshine goes...
The air has felt a sudden chill
That creatures know full well...
The moon ascends on yonder hill
And casts its silver spell...
The leopard's eyes observe the scene,
The scene he's seen before,
The coming of the in-between,
The timing ever sure...
Night watchman, waiting, instincts taut,
Aware of everything,
Avoiding dangers as he ought,
That's how he's stayed the king...
Denis Martindale, copyright, September 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Night Watchman II'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Snow Child
The snow leopard mother and cub
Were resting for a while...
In their exclusive private club,
Yet neither raised a smile...
God turned the heat so low again,
That Winter sadness grew...
The Spring would come, yet, when, when, when! ?
But neither of them knew...
What leopard counts the passing days,
The suns and moons above?
What leopard's privy to God's ways
Or prays to Him with love?
The humans pray, for they've found faith...
They count the days and weeks...
They've learnt endurance to be brave
To wait until God speaks.
For only then, will Spring arrive,
To melt the snows and ice,
So that the leopards who survive
Will think it Paradise!
At last, they'll see their sorrows melt,
As if they were a dream...
At last, they'll make their presence felt
And form a hunting team...
Their Winter bonds will grant them strength,
Uniting them as one...
The cub will grow another length
To blossom in the sun...
Each creature has its own domain...
Each leopard has its spot...
It needs no lecture to explain,
This life is all it's got...
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Snow Child'.
The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Beauty
The leopard looked and listened, too,
While seated on the ground...
Observing from its point of view
Then suddenly spellbound...
For while with beauty of its own,
It felt life's beauty shared...
You'd have to have a heart of stone
To say you've never cared...
The leopard looked at all there was,
At sights both near and far,
As if it never came across
The beauty of a star,
The beauty of a waterfall...
The beauty of the plains,
The beauty of both great and small
And life that still remains...
The leopard looked and purred with praise
As if a saint reborn,
Content to live its final days,
No need to feel forlorn.
You see, it knew, we live our time,
Our share in history...
And blessed are those that call sublime
God's greatest gift: beauty...
Denis Martindale, copyright, February 2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Beauty'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Sudden Movement
The tiger's eye was on it fast!
A sudden movement seen!
Now on his feet, he stood at last,
His mind alert and keen...
His body leapt ten feet ahead
And landed with a crunch!
Of course, the reason that he sped
Was what he hoped was lunch!
The creature that he tracked was close,
Somewhere within the snow...
That's why he sniffed with downward nose
As low as he could go...
The creature stopped, no sound was heard...
A silence met his ears.
Then all at once, the creature stirred
And dashed to join his peers...
The tiger's eye was left and right
And saw the creature run
And all at once, the bird took flight...
And nothing could be done!
The tiger's sigh was long and drawn...
No lunch for him today!
When he laid down, he paused to yawn...
And there he chose to stay...
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Sudden Movement'.
The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Hidden Observer
The lone gray wolf sat still once more,
Next to another tree...
As if to tap his frozen paw,
In time, impatiently...
The snow had stopped, the breeze was cool,
He sighed another sigh...
And there he sat, as if a fool,
For something to pass by...
An hour vanished like the sun
That clouds had blocked from sight.
Yet there was nothing to be done,
Waiting in that twilight...
Starvation haunts the carnivores
When snow sets on the ground.
The lone gray wolf can't rest indoors
When there's no food around...
Then drooping ears pricked up at last!
A rustling sound was heard...
The lone gray wolf then ran so fast
To catch the helpless bird!
The ancient battle then ensued,
The hunter and the prey...
This time, the wolf had won the fued
And food was on its way...
The ancient rules must still apply...
For Nature's Laws must serve her...
That's why, beneath the twilight sky,
He's the hidden observer...
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Hidden Observer'.
The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Himalayan Spirit
Snow leopard, you've got pointed ears!
My word, don't they stand out?
They're oh so cute, the little dears,
With small hairs all about.
And aren't your whiskers dainty things?
I bet they make you itch...
So fine like stretched out steel-like springs
And ready-primed to twitch...
I like your nicely turned-up nose!
It looks so pink and brown,
So all attention swiftly goes
From wrinkle and from frown...
Your lips are quite unmissable!
You almost seem to smile...
Your lips are almost kissable,
In fact, they quite beguile...
I daren't look into your eyes!
You're so fast on your feet...
To keep my distance seems so wise,
Because I'm mostly meat!
You Himalayan spirit, dear,
Who knows, we could be friends!
But you stay there and I'll stay here
Until our meeting ends...
Denis Martindale, copyright, July 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Himalayan Spirit'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Sublime
The leopard left his sleep behind,
Arose and walked around
And with that walk his waking mind
Was glad at what he found...
The sun was shining in the sky,
A wondrous breeze drew near
And yet not once did he ask why
Such blessings should appear...
And yet this world is so sublime,
In every single part
And blessed are they that spend their time
In painting perfect art...
Think of all creatures... great and small...
That artists sit and paint,
Yet Stephen Gayford, he stands tall,
To some, he is a saint...
He captures insights when on tour,
He gets each detail done
And then he thrills us to the core
And shares his sense of fun...
From meerkats to the giant cats,
Fantastic dolphins, too!
He paints them like aristocrats...
Sublime... each time... for you...
Denis Martindale, copyright, August 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'The Sublime'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Focussed
All senses now are focussed well,
Survival calls again,
The lioness obeys its spell
That haunts both beasts and men...
The hunger gnaws within us all,
It comes and will not budge
And why, united by its thrall,
We serve, yet with a grudge...
The lioness now stalks her prey...
With eyes and ears alert,
With nostrils flared for scents that stray
Within the land of hurt...
For here it is that death draws near,
As Mother Nature knows...
And all at once, peace turns to fear,
Till life comes to a close...
The lioness may look refined,
Defiant, noble, brave,
Yet hunger leads to thoughts unkind,
With few around to save.
Her prey is fast, the chase is on!
Escape is rare, so rare...
Yet suddenly the prey has gone...
And leaves her fuming there...
Denis Martindale, copyright, July 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Focussed'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot.com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Winter Perfection
They say the dog is Man's best friend,
His buddy, through and through...
You can depend he will defend,
So credit where it's due...
Yet from the wild wolf he was tamed
And brought into the home,
Where he plays free and unashamed,
Wherever he may roam...
To think, the wolf once crossed the globe,
The forests, plains and hills...
And every valley Man could probe,
The wild wolf hunts and kills.
Beyond the cities, Nature rules
The hunter and the prey...
When Summer dies, the Autumn cools,
Then Winter haunts each day.
The blinding snow falls to the ground
And freezes far and wide...
It's then the white wolf roams around
And has no need to hide.
His camouflage is perfect now,
Successful hunts ensue...
The truth is harsh, yet fates allow
The things the wolf must do...
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Winter Perfection'.
The Stephen Gayford poems can be viewed here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Eye Of The Leopard
Determination serves him well,
Tenacity and truth...
The leopard knows life's weary spell!
He's felt it from his youth.
He must not sleep! His eye must see!
There's danger all around!
This is the price of living free,
Undaunted and unbound.
The leopard loiters, sniffs the air,
His eye looks left and right...
Of every movement he's aware
Through instincts and insight...
Each day's the same, if he survives,
To tread the earth alone,
To hunt in search of other lives,
Because that's all he's known...
His hunger drives him on and on...
Relentless, still, of course...
He hunts until the hunger's gone,
Then feeds without remorse.
His eye has seen so many things
That swim and crawl and fly...
Above him now, a pair of wings
That glide across the sky!
The leopard sighs with envy at
The bird beyond his reach!
If he had wings, he'd make him scat!
What tricks that bird he'd teach!
The leopard looks, then walks his way,
Towards survival's end...
So he can hunt another day,
Unloved, without a friend...
The poem is based on the National Geographic Wild HD details
received from Sky Digital for the September 2009 programme
called 'Eye Of The Leopard'. Fully featured on pages 20 and 21
of the September 2009 Sky Magazine!
I can well imagine wildlife artist Stephen Gayford painting this!
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Watching From Cover
The wily wolf was all alone,
Content to be that way
And like a statue made of stone,
He waited for his prey...
Watching from cover, laid on snow,
His soul was stained by crime,
Upon the path he chose to go,
As snowflakes marked the time...
Though silence was his only friend,
He knew it wouldn't last,
For soon it would be at an end
As his next meal walked past...
Till then he waited patiently,
No energy was lost...
Until fate chose his destiny,
No matter what the cost...
He strained to keep his head held high,
His eyes and ears so cold,
As lonesome hours waved goodbye
With nothing to be told...
But suddenly, he heard snow crunch,
His prey was in his sights,
Suffice to say he'd found his lunch,
Despite the wrongs or rights...
Denis Martindale, copyright, April 2012.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Watching From Cover'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Mountain Splendour
Snow leopards look at snow all day!
It's here, there, everywhere!
It hardly ever goes away!
It's white beyond compare!
It's dazzling white, it's total white,
It really, really is!
It's safe to say that it's too bright!
It's not something they'd miss...
Snow leopards sit the whole day long
On snow, snow, snow, snow, snow...
It's sometimes nice, don't get me wrong,
But doesn't that stuff glow! ?
It's freezing cold, no good at all...
And bores them all to tears...
They hate it when new snowflakes fall
And tickle both their ears!
Snow leopards wait for food to eat...
They wait, wait, wait, wait, wait...
They take things slow, they tap their feet...
And think life's just great!
They can't hum tunes like humans do...
Remembering each rhyme...
They just sit down, enjoy the view...
And... while... away... the... time...
Denis Martindale, copyright, November 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Mountain Splendour II'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
In Hot Pursuit
The tiger rested, gently laid,
Now in a placid mood,
Until his belly sighed dismayed
In hopes of some fresh food...
So up he stood and stretched a while,
His hunting ears alert
And gone that tiger's placid smile,
For main course and dessert...
He slowly trod the ground he walked
With one intent in mind,
For his next meal would soon be stalked,
As he sneaked up behind...
The chase was on! He saw his prey!
His coat was now a blur!
His next meal mustn't get away!
No, no! That can't occur!
So like the wind that strikes the earth
With storms of utmost rage,
In hot pursuit his mighty girth
Sped to its fastest stage!
Then in the blinking of an eye,
The dirty deed was done!
To stave off each new starving sigh...
One fed, he heard not one...
Denis Martindale, copyright, October 2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'In Hot Pursuit'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Private View
The leopard saw the tree ahead
And chose to check it out
And that is where his footsteps led,
No more to scout about...
He climbed the tree serenely calm,
To scan the land around
And so as not to raise alarm,
He barely made a sound...
How gingerly he walked on high,
As if above it all,
Yet not possessing wings to fly,
Was careful not to fall...
A gentle breeze brought no fresh scents
To help him find his prey
And since he saw no other friends,
He paused his paws to stay...
His private view brought sweet relief
With shade to cool him down,
Quite cosy, comfy, couched beneath,
He laid on bark so brown...
Now he could keep his soft embrace,
Surveying all in style...
This was his spot, his special place,
His palace for a while...
Denis Martindale, copyright, November 2011.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Private View'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Winter Sun
His weary eyes were everywhere,
To track each tiny sound,
The hungry wolf beyond his lair
Trod softly on the ground.
For somewhere near or somewhere far
His next meal had to be.
If not, no midnight, moon or star
His weary eyes would see...
His stomach churned each step he took,
Yet Death was patient still...
His jaws were like an open book,
As he surveyed the hill.
How many hills had he climbed now?
A dozen, maybe more,
With all past strength God could allow
He fought the final war...
His prey escaped a sudden death...
His loss and yet their gain...
Life is a journey, breath by breath,
His offspring to remain...
He couldn't find a single crumb
Of comfort for this phase.
He didn't know his time had come...
This was the end of days...
Denis Martindale, copyright, October 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Winter Sun'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Jungle Trail
The treacherous tiger tip-toed
Towards the jungle trail...
Obedient to the tigers' code,
He knew he must not fail.
White tigers like to do their best,
As if they were like kings!
Let other creatures stare impressed!
Pathetic underlings!
That's why he walked as if on air,
As if the world were his.
So nonchalant, so debonair -
What more to life than this?
Yet hunger tamed his thoughts for now,
He dined on humble pie...
What future would the Fates allow?
What victim would pass by?
He licked his lips, expectantly!
He sensed new prey was near...
He crouched down low, so none could see,
Then everything was clear!
He pounced like lightning! Head to tail...
A nightmare not a dream!
Triumphant on his jungle trail...
Expert, yet so extreme...
Denis Martindale, copyright, October 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Jungle Trail'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Ambush
The leopard laid low to ambush
Whatever came his way.
When hunger gives big cats a push,
They'll hunt the livelong day.
His whiskers twitched as tensions grew,
He dare not tap his toes,
He merely crouched, maintained his view
Of passing friends and foes...
His back was stretched, at peace for now,
No awkward pains to bear...
While he was poised with furrowed brow
And one almighty stare!
He licked his lips imagining
The thrill the chase would be,
The feast the drawn-out day could bring
If all went hopefully...
His stomach rumbled without shame!
He licked his lips again!
He lacked all guilt, all sense of blame,
Until the moment when
All hell broke loose, the chase was on!
His body was a blur...
And suddenly! One life was gone,
His mouth was full of fur...
Denis Martindale, copyright, September 2010.
The poem is based on the magnificent painting
by Stephen Gayford called 'Ambush'.
More Stephen Gayford poems here:
denis-martindale-dot-blogspot-dot-com
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!