You will find me in the mountains
where the air eventually clinks of cold
seeing me means fear and danger
a slinky predator, hungry and bold.
**
I might not be huge, but still I’m lethal
you can’t outrun me, fleeing isn’t wise
no matter how fast you think you will be
only to try means to simply fantasize.
**
I’m adjusted well to the mountain’s climate
you won’t see me until it’s much too late
don’t make yourself one of my victims
or you might early see the pearly gate.
**
My nose is wide to warm the air I breathe
my fur is thick to protect me from the cold
my paws are wide and furry to not sink in
to keep me on a snow blanket and have a better hold.
**
We are an endangered species,
you will find most of us in Asia,
from North down to the South
from Russia, to Tibet, to India, until Malaysia.
**
Thanks to human help and support
there are more of us than the past ten years.
Slowly we might be helped by humans
which calms us and lessens our fears.
**
To help you guess, I might also tell you
that my ears are round, my eyes green or gray
my ears are round, my belly whitish,
I was called beautiful, and it’s true I must say.
**
I’m muscular, lean, fast and leonine,
a predator of ibex, goat and also lamb.
Due to atopy of vodal cords I cannot roar
Yes, the Snow Leopard, that’s what I am.
*****
(Aurora Jean Alexander, Copyright, December 2018)
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