Forest Haven Poem by Denis Martindale

The tiger saw me near his home,
His Shangri-La and more...
To him, as sweet as honeycomb,
A place to rest each paw...
'Yes, come on in and join me here,
Without a moment's doubt,
Without a single trace of fear,
For that's what love's about...'

'Just you and I, with no regard
Of past mistakes we've known...
The two of us should now discard
All thoughts to live alone...
No need to fret or fight or flee,
No need to laugh out loud...
Just settle down right next to me...
My soft fur's like a cloud...'

'Don't wear a frown! Don't hesitate...
What have you got to lose?
The sun's so hot... It's getting late...
Let's share this evening's views.
There's no-one else to intervene
To steal this time of bliss...
My forest haven's so serene...
It really, really is...'


(August 2011/The poem is based on the
magnificent painting by Stephen Gayford
called 'Forest Haven'.)