A leopard who was fond of mice <br />and claimed to have no other vice <br />was killed by a rhinoceros, <br />which really wasn't a great loss <br />because the jungle was well filled <br />with leopards, so the one just killed <br />was left right near a shady tree <br />his body dead, his soul now free. <br /> <br />Night fell, the moon looked at the spots <br />that fade as now the carcass rots <br />when, in the shadow of the tree <br />the other animals could see <br />that even though the beast was dead <br />he seemed to nod his ugly head. <br /> <br />And then, his body seemed to stir <br />some thought they heard a leopard's purr. <br />Giraffe said 'this cannot be true', <br />(he had escaped from Capetown Zoo) <br />and, soon, the jungle's real king <br />pronounced that there was no such thing <br />as leopards playing resurrection <br />it surely must be the reflection <br />of moon and other magic forces. <br /> <br />The elephant said 'hold your horses', <br />and two hyenas who had come <br />to have a meal felt pretty dumb. <br />They hadn't eaten in a week <br />and now, that things looked pretty bleak <br />they looked around for mice or rats <br />and succulicious jungle bats. <br /> <br />All mice, though, from the underground <br />were hidden and could not be found <br />they ate it up, oh what a feast <br />inside the dead but moving beast. <br /> <br />All learned that when a leopard rots <br />it can and will change all its spots. <br />The moon put on his wily grin <br />said 'one must get beneath the skin <br />to change the ways of any beast <br />sometimes this brings about a feast <br />but that is truly Nature's way! ' <br />And that was all he had to say.<br /><br />Herbert Nehrlich<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/changing-spots/
