Once upon a time: The Sunda Tiger

The Sunda Tiger stalks and leaps beneath the exquisite, glamorous trees. 

My eyes gaze toward her, her graceful walk, her elegant stripes,

Gentle leaves dancing from branches, an earthly scent; scent like an evening haze

The sun sets and along with it arrives a blanket, covering the sky.

Reassuring the environment,  promising no harm.

The glow of fire smothers the forest, once tropical, once a field of green. 

I watch from above, frozen in place

Not even nauseating heat can heal my rigid, chilled body

The sickly smell of burnt wood, once brown wood and healthy wood. Now evaporated into sickly grey ash,

Air is quickly snatched from my lungs as it is replaced by suffocating smoke. 

Once a healthy land

Once upon a time…