SKINS:

To thick beautiful coats of amoured hides,

Elephant, hippo, rhino & knobbled crocodile,

Of those who swim the depths of ocean tides,

Let´s all just stop & ponder them for a while.

Those of air, water, earth, marsupial & ovine,

Of velveteen & those of hair, fluff & fuzzy fur,

Feathered plume, talon, claw & hoofed bovine,

Don´t rob those that growl, sing & gently purr.

Coloured patchwork, patterns & rainbow plume,

Satins, silken wool & soft velvets they sport & wear,

Sheer gossamer lace of delicate sheen-like spume,

What right have we, you & me, to snatch rip & tear?

Feather boas, leather boots, coats & mole-skin belts,

Animal patterns & prints, ostrich, mink & shiny snake,

We shoot, trap & kill, taking their skins & lively pelts,

What right have we, to kill & all their coverings take?

Oh you of feathering frill, skin of silk & bejeweled hue,

Who plod, trip, slither & pound upon earth´s clod & sod,

Pardon us, for what we humans have taken away from you,

 Only hoping our apologies reach the ears of a very forgiving God.