Of Silent Remorse

The Panther

Silently, panthers watch the world go by.
Confidently, they prowl through darkness.
Alone, they protect themselves from harm.
And when wounded, such creatures lash out when they’re damaged
I am uncertain and afraid.

I fear that I will be alone forever, abandoned by those I trust.
I worry about the days that fall too much like raindrops
And the future fragmented eerily through the downpour.
I don’t want to be forgotten and I want to show them I’m capable,
so I run through the storm without thought.

I wonder why talking to others is like a battlefield
And the soldiers are equipped with knives as tongues.
Hate is a looming general in the war.
I want to be strong, so I hold up a shield against every soldier in sight,
Regardless of their stance in the battle.

I dream of finding purpose
So I search through the downpour for any hint of golden rays.
I know that underestimation is a nemesis I aim to defeat,
And that even through the war, I will leap from my safe perch.
The bladed tongues will scrape away at me,
But they will be no match for a panther’s claws.

So the panther stalks with the doubtful shadows following.
The lonely hunter is uncertain and afraid,
and when wounded, such creatures lash out when they’re damaged.
Silently, panthers watch the world go by.
What lonely creatures panthers are.

-Megan Grace