For the Rhino
I wrote this poem – in the middle of the night – whilst flying from Perth to Johannesburg.
“Cry the beloved country” was, of course, the title of Alan Paton’s prescient novel of 1948.
It was the first poem that I wrote about rhinos and indicates the depth of my passion for these extraordinary and iconic animals. It is estimated that rhinos have been on the planet for approximately 10 million years and yet, if current trends continue, rhinos could become extinct in the wild within ten years.
See them stand
Side by side
Mum’s super large horns. His just starting to grow
Both so proud
See them run
The oldest mammals on the planet
Majestic, powerful and free
See them stop
Sniffing, staring
Uncertain and nervous
Hear the shot
See her fall
Trembling, shuddering
Hear the saw. Feel the pain.
Ruthless, cruel, greedy humans
Hear his cries
His mother’s face a bloody mess
All alone
Mother and child. No reunion
Cry the Beloved Country
Ray has written poetry for many years, mainly about friends and family, for special occasions and the family dogs. In 2013, as he became more involved in and informed about the crisis engulfing rhinos, Ray started writing about these iconic animals.
Rhino Ray has been called a storyteller which is a good description of his writing style.
Click here for more details about the poetry collection that Ray has published.