The Wilpattu Vision
I ventured into Wilpattu
The first time in my life
The jungle of yore and lore
The home of the leopard, bears and more
A place of serenity, power and destruction
Yet Panikkavila proved to be a place of rest
Flooded to the lip yet habitable and cool
And so I chose to sleep facing that tree
In the midst of the vila, branched arms outstretched
The next day, when we spotted the leopard pair after mating
And the Alpha himself Neluma
I looked upon my bracelet of three leopard heads
Wondering what messages they would bring
And so that night as I lay in bed observing a firefly on my net
And a glow worm taken to flight
I suddenly looked at the tree and spotted the giant
Leopard Head formed through the cracks of light
Blueish almost and almost a sneer
Yet I felt no need to panic or fear
For I knew somewhere, this was a message
A reassurance, a reminder and a sign to trust
To know that I am guarded, guided and groomed
To leap when required but not quite yet
And when that time comes, I shall remember Neluma’s baleful glance
As if to say, what do you fear? I have paved the way,
Alpha to Alpha, you have your chance
Now you advance
