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