Friday, July 31, 2015

Remembering Cecil,

Sorry, I forgot to post this. No recipe today.

This poem, written by a 13 yr old who wishes to remain anonymous sent chills down my spine when I read it on Facebook. A friend said she cried all the way though it. Many of you are not on Facebook so I had to share it.

*I am Cecil.
Naturally I am powerful. ...
Yet the situation was such that I am no longer alive.
Alive to hunt, alive to live, alive to be African.
I am not Cecil. But I am Africa, an Africa for you to kill, obviously.



I am every rhino and elephant that you tear apart.
I am the Ivory ripped from their faces, for you to consume.
I am rhino and elephant. I am Cecil, I am Africa.

I am sorry that we can’t defend the defenseless against people with weapons used to attack.
I am sorry that we can’t bring Cecil back.
You’ve killed Cecil.
You’re killing Africa.

I am not Cecil.
I am Africa.
I need help.*


Have a great day

18 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - certainly a very expressive poem ... so so sad - Africa deserves to be looked after, as do all humans and all natural life, and the land that feeds us - be we four legged, two or long legs, short legs all of us ... all the best - Hilary

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    1. Hi Hilary, nice to see you. I totally agree with what you wrote. I wish everyone felt the same.

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  2. Wow that is a powerful poem for one so young!

    betty

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    1. Isn't it just, Betty? Odd, I keep thinking of Clarence the Cross Eyed lion.

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  3. Such a sad sad story - and what a very moving poem from such a young voice. It's that generation that will hopefully bring sense to all this wanton destruction. I hear Michael Douglas' new film is on this theme - trophy hunters… it will be interesting to see if anyone boycotts it.
    Fil at Fil's Place - Old Songs and Memories

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    1. Always assuming there are any animals left by the time his generation grows up. Didn't know about the Michael Douglas film. Hope it gets through to a lot of people Fil.

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  4. Brilliant child, who captures so well this travesty!

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  5. I've been so upset about this killing that I just can't read the poem. I'm already always on the verge of tears as it is. :'(

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    1. Sorry about that JoJo. Maybe you can read it at a later date. It is worth reading but it is heart wrenching too.

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  6. An excellent poem. Such a sad, deplorable thing to have happened.

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    1. Yes Pinky, particularly since I have now learned that it took 40 hours for the lion to die.

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  7. It is very touching, isn't it. I just cannot understand trophy hunting. Although I'm a vegetarian I can see why people kill for food - and I don't expect everyone to live by my choices - but to kill an animal just so you can say have is pointless savagery.

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    1. I do so agree Helen. There was a photo on FB of a woman posing with a giraffe she had shot. What is brave and clever about that? Man is a hunter, for food maybe, but that's not really necessary any more in most places anyway.

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  8. I love when the youngins write poems.

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    1. Really is a great poem Ivy. I was very moved by it.

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  9. Beautiful poem and written from the heart. What is disgusting is this coward who thinks it is fun to kill endangered animals for his pleasure because he has a small mind and a small...um well, you know. I am so angry and so upset by this I can not think straight. I hope this jerk is found and will somehow go to prison. I heard the FBI is after him which is good. I just hope this waked up the average person about what these people will do to have a trophy on their wall. There is no justice as long as these SOB's keep doing what they do.

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    1. I agree with everything you said Birgit. What is incredible is the world wide reaction to this whole event.

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