Giraffe

Giraffes display
magnificence
in their towering height
taller than the clouds,
their heads disappear
into trees,
tongues lapping up leaves,
tails swaying as
jaws grind a satisfying “rip” of foliage
No animal induces such wonder and awe,
has such qualities of a shimmering
ladder-of-a-neck, and gangly
stilt-like legs
to allow a space on the
ground
as well as in the sky
No animal has so much
pride and authority
as the giraffe,
who commands the stars
as well as the earth
No other creature is so social,
so gregarious, as to converse with
the birds in flight as well as with
the marching ants
In fact,
no being will ever be able to equal the giraffe’s
abundance of wisdom
and sense of balance,
for a giraffe is forever in a state of
blissful limbo,
its hooves standing upon hell,
but its antlers touching
heaven.