The Prideless Lion

A happy lion roamed
The perennial bushy tract
Though he lived alone,
Not a lonely heart was he.

For food he seldom hunted,
Else he never scared
Another living being ,
Not to hurt he cared.

Every day, he reclined
In his lair, a barren rock
In bliss ; yet no roar
of ecstasy and rapture.

Meek and weak a cub
Came that way, one day
With wounds and pleading eyes
Having lost it's pride and pride

The lion shared his food,
Indeed the lion's share
And thrice the soothing lick
To cleanse the young one's wounds

The lion continued his watch

To see it's growth, or much
To see it happy and fine,
Stand on strong legs and wag it's tender tail

Foster guardian had to teach
Little cub, lessons rich
To hunt a prey and lunch
True to its instincts .

A hare once he caught
And placed before his pet
The cub, brave and fit
Jumped to catch it straight and won

The cub grew into a big cat
A chip of the good old block,
Thick tuft of hair on tail
With whiskers long and gestures strong.

One day, the lion saw it catch
A hare, with rapid snatch
After playing with it long
Killed for lunch and devour it

Slow he proceeded, sat
Beside the proud cat, that
A portion of the prey
Could he taste, to boost it's joy.

But frowned the grown up cub
Roared with all its might
Snarled and with its claws
So sharp and fierce, pounded on him.

The prideless lion fled
His face covered in blood
Though alone, not a lonely heart
In bliss ; yet no roar,
of ecstasy and rapture.

Anuj Nair