Brown Bear, Germany, 2008

I'm aware of what you are

and I'm also aware of what you're

thinking. You're a human being

I'm aware of what you are

and I'm also aware of what you're

thinking. You're a human being

and you are thinking I am something else

I'm aware of what you are

and I'm also aware of what you're

thinking. You're a human being

and you are thinking I am something else

put here for your entertainment.

I'm aware of what you are

and I'm also aware of what you're

thinking. You're a human being

and you are thinking I am something else

put here for your entertainment,

that makes it easier for you to ignore me.

I'm aware of what you are

and I'm also aware of what you're

thinking. You're a human being

and you are thinking I am something else

put here for your entertainment,

that makes it easier for you to ignore me

and the wire mesh that surrounds me.

I'm aware of what you are

and I'm also aware of what you're

thinking. You're a human being

and you are thinking I am something else

put here for your entertainment,

that makes it easier for you to ignore me

and the wire mesh that surrounds me;

the wire mesh that separates us.

I'm aware of what you are

and I'm also aware of what you're

thinking. You're a human being

and you are thinking I am something else

put here for your entertainment,

that makes it easier for you to ignore me

and the wire mesh that surrounds me;

the wire mesh that separates us,

and your way of thinking from mine.

Gordon Meade

Gordon Meade is a Scottish poet and animal advocate. His 10th book of poetry is called Zoo Speak. It's about the inhumane and appalling conditions for animal who live in zoos and other terrible places. He wrote it to accompany the photographs in Jo-Anne McArthur's, Captive a haunting book of photographs featuring animals in captivity.

If you are unfamiliar with Jo-Anne's work, go to We Animals Media and take a look. It will change you. I read/looked at Captive years ago and I truly did not think it could get more powerful or feel more devastating then it felt right then, and then I came across Gordon's poetry. It offers an entirely new dimension to the photos, one that makes you look at the animals and really see and feel their perspective on the situation. It floored me.

Please listen and share and then, read Gordon's poems.

LINKS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnrR1DWog7Y&t=6s

https://www.etsy.com/listing/778801047/zoospeak-gordon-meade-with-jo-anne

Captive: https://joannemcarthur.com/captive/