Living in the Jungle

While living in the jungle

I heard the tiniest of ants

Searching for crumbs 

Wandering back to the ant 

Hill with dinner

For the community potluck

Exploring the ocean

I found the dolphins

Swimming in their pods

I saw the Portuguese 

Men of War before they

Wrapped their nettles
Around my waist 

Pulling me under

Paralyzed and prepared

To die

Walking slowly through

The banana forest, I 

Came upon the sleeping 

Mountain lion and her cub

Knowing that my demise 

Was at hand

If I made one sound or

If she happened to smell me

Climbing the vine-laden

Trees, I found myself

Laughing with the monkeys 

As I attempted to swing

From branch to branch

Falling delighted at times

Bouncing back up for more 

The exotic bird colors

The sounds emanating

From their beaks

A whole new world 

Along with the other 

Hums, shrieks, and buzzing

Beings in this jungle

The green growth

The vivid shades of 

Every color I have
Ever imagined

All for my eyes to see

My breath to touch

My skin to feel

Bugs, rodents, creatures

I have never before seen

Or heard

Snakes and toads of all 

Textures and patterns 

All living in the jungle

Along with mushrooms

And fungi underneath

Cleaning up after death

Making room for a 

Newborn

The new baby's human mother wants

To take her child back to

Her jungle of city life

Concrete, cars, noise

Pollution, Politics and People

Smelly, stinky places and 

Streets, coughing lungs 

Dry, cracking skin

Maybe this infant would

Rather stay with the 

Beautiful birds, flowers

Trees and all of nature

Than to breathe the fumes

Of diesel, listen to  

Harsh screams, sensing the 

Wicked violence and destruction

Of city life

The jungle not idealized

Also exudes noise

Displays fighting beings

Hungry, territorial

Beasts, finding ways

To challenge and compete

With each other

Eat each other

Filling their children’s bellies

Protecting their homes, families

If this new child ever does enter that

City world, the human one

Soaking in the toxins that will 

Infiltrate her

She may rather choose to die 

With the lion 

Or the Sea creatures

Who sting her

Than to enter this other world

This smoky, sullen site of

Her human ancestors

As her mother turns toward the city

Leaving her baby to this jungle

The tiny girl thrives with her

Animal, plant and mineral

Friends

Following the rules of

This Jungle and all its

Many beauties and 

Dangers

Content and happy

To live here for her

Forever

I walk slowly out of the jungle

Pick her up and we dance