Far and wide spreads the plain

in scorching sun, no drop o’rain

On his back rests her head,

he does too in good stead

Neck to Neck they hug

The world’s heart, they willingly tug.

Synchronized to the stripe

In harmony with no gripe

“Romantic embrace,” pronounce the gawkers

“Eternal love,” concur the stalkers.

“Look, how they got the other’s back,

enmeshed in their white and black!”

What an endearing thing,

it does make the heart sing!

“If only they knew..,” he mumbles

″…this is our only way,” she grumbles.

“To avoid being eaten to the bone,

our togetherness is more a millstone.”

On each back they rest each neck

360 degree view they check.

Lions, cheetahs, and leopards prowl,

forever on alert is that hyena’s howl.

Nobody wants to be that easy prey.

Working together seems the only way.

If only rubberneckers knew,

they’d stop the coo and ooh.

Often it’s not what one thinks,

danger lurks in 40 small winks

The thought of cutting some slack

is invitation to violent attack.

Put simply in sapiens verse,

“You scratch my back, and I will yours,”

©IK 2019