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. 

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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.

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RHINOS AND COVID-19 – THE PERFECT STORM?