Hidden Danger! Poem by Denis Martindale

The tiger knew that danger loomed,
This time with no mistake,
Perhaps this day he would be doomed,
His fear was real not fake...
A sense of dread can dull the mind
And then you lose a lot,
You need to run, but then you find
You're transfixed to the spot!

I saw him stand his ground and wait,
He didn't have a clue,
I saw him stare and hesitate,
Afraid to see things through...
I saw his whiskers stand on end,
His eyes move left to right
And yet on this you can depend,
I knew he'd soon take flight!

He shook his head, he strained his ears,
He flared his nostrils so,
But when all courage disappears,
He knew he had to go!
It's rare to see a tiger hide,
Or cower with dismay,
But I'll admit I stood with pride
To see him run away!