Friday, October 4, 2013

Elegy for Freedom (elegy for blackfish)

Elegy for Freedom (elegy for blackfish)
Laijon Liu 20131004



Birds fly in sky, animal roam wild
but why dolphin and orca sink in a pool?
Behind endless circular wall, there
their soul forever searching for home
Majestic creature, unhindered faith
with gifted grace and mighty strength
the so called long distance swimmers
in a tank dreaming of sea and world

their grief, men do not comprehend
their long range calls to the deaf ears
their every gentle nod is beg for mercy
yet we convert all their behaviors to profit
“Show Time! Let the children come!
See the creature of God, how wonderful!”
their fluke fin slap, joyful waves brim
A sudden lunge into air, spectators on climax

By nature they are born to swim free
ocean is their mom, family is lifetime bonding
and on what contract they sign up their life
to become circus animal, tumbling to entertain?
Their heavy burdened body slowly float
giant black coffins drifting to nowhere
their eyes are submerged in teary water
candlelight shimmering in night river

we adore them, we love them
so we capture them, breed them in our park
zoo, pool, enclosure, aquarium, cage with bars
these are the museums showcase their agony
they are just animals, brainless animals
they have appetite, but no emotion or thought
our heart, stone hard, denies our conscience
even monkeys do show empathy and sympathy!

we feed cats, we pet dogs
we enjoy companionship as they share with us
love is mutual affection built upon freewill
earth upholds living creature’s right and habitat
bird sings in a blanket wooden cage, sweet tune
a blind poet reciting his love poems
a mother whale is calling for her baby in a tank
we hire specialists to learn this strange phenomenon

“gimme liberty or gimme death!”
this! how we defend our natural right!
by suicide or die by fighting we safeguard our choice
yet animal know not this solution to end their misery
like exiled ghosts hovering in a dark well
they are haunted by the aliens above
daylight, countless circles and foreign signals
night, silence, lonely and hunger

O poor gentle creatures, graceful friend of sea
how you lost your home and stood on this stage
all their nonsense lines and clumsy programs
men train you to mannerly perform
like we men know what’s best for you
like we men know you prefer pool than ocean
we keep you, to save you, to protect your habitat
til our kids believe it’s okay to keep you in a tank!

Sing! Oh, Sing! You divas of great sea!
Can you recall any happy tunes?
Sing your psalm, sing your lullaby
Sing your ode to joy, and cry!
Cry! til Ocean hears you!
Cry! til your mother hears you!
Cry to God, to dispatch Jonah!
That one day we men repent! and set you free!

Note:
I watched the documentary film “Blackfish”, I am so angry and heartbroken.