I can’t show any weakness 

around you. I can’t be weak 

while standing next to the grand rhinoceros 

that you are. Your skin is impenetrable armor, 

shiny like silver. Your horn is like a sword, 

swift and deadly. The power in your muscles 

is enough to move mountains

and alter the landscape at whim. 

You change it as you please. 

Go ahead. 

You deserve it. 

After all, the mountains are only movable 

to you therefore it is in your right

to go ahead and move them simply 

because no one else can. Do you think 

how it will affect the lives of those around you? 

The crocodiles, the termites, the lions? 

They live here the same as you. They pretend 

they don’t hate the sound of your marching, 

the narcissist booms that not only announce 

your arrival into the savannah, but demand 

respect from all of us lonely and pitiful animals 

who are mere subjects to your magnificence. 

The lions bow their heads so low 

their muzzles graze the dirt, 

as if the lion has the status of a dung beetle. 

It is a shameful sight 

to see the lions demeaned 

in such a fashion. It disgusts me 

how you walk past them as they bow down 

to you without even blinking an eye at them, 

recognizing their abiding by your frivolous laws. 

The one time they don’t surrender

themselves to your tyranny, 

is the moment you seem to notice

 them. You roar out and crash

down ancient trees, muddy the water, 

destroy meerkat tunnels, and try to wreak havoc 

upon our savannah. 

Mistake. I may be a pitiful heron 

but I can see the anger you’ve sparked 

in the lion’s heart. 

The next day, there was no march 

down the savannah by the one and only 

rhinoceros. In fact, there was no rhinoceros. 

The savannah seemed to finally 

be at peace. 

Even the lions seemed extra well fed today.