Love, Loyalty, and Gratitude

If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans." (James Herriot)

Animals are one of the greatest things on Earth, and yet we often fail to appreciate them in all their forms. Every day, new species and life-forms are being discovered all across the globe, and they bring with them an ever increasing spectrum of variety.

Many animals have their own unique identities, and these traits have always proven fascinating to us. From fierce to playful, instinctive to trained, animals play a vital role in the world we live in. They bring out both the best and the worst in people, and a person’s attitude towards animals can often be a strong indicator of their nature.

What do the animals really think
of man and his modern ways?
Busy and tired, no time for joy
a grind from morning to night.
Has he forgotten the beauty and love
all creatures were given for free?
What do the animals really think
of life in the modern world?
Has man forgot the touch of the earth
its moist and fertile soil?
Where are the flowers, crops of wheat
man through the ages has grown?
No longer a care of everyday life
someone else will take care of the fields.
What do the animals really think
of man rushing around by car?
No time to walk, breath fresh clean air
see the bright blue sky above.
What do the animals really think
of man’s cold modern ways?
How luckily they are to be who they are
not part of man’s modern ways.

"Animals are more than ever a test of our character, of mankind's capacity for empathy and for decent, honorable conduct and faithful stewardship. We are called to treat them with kindness, not because they have rights or power or some claim to equality, but in a sense because they don't; because they all stand unequal and powerless before us." (Matthew Scully)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “What Do the Animals Really Think” by Patricia Walter

·        https://www.poetryinnature.com/poems/nature/animal/

This animal poetry topic was suggested by previous co-worker and blog member, Debra Williams