When Leopards Hunt

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By Nwafor Oji Awala.

When leopards hunt 

in the shadows of time,

my forefathers walked the dark with their spotted coats of courage,

their eyes like gleaming stars in a midnight forest,

and their silent predators.  

Eagles soared with knowledge atop mountain summits, 

their feathers as crisp as the lines

murmured by ancient legends.  

They looked out at the world with alert eyes, 

their wings spread wide like ancestral scrolls.  

Stories unfolded in paws and talons

strong through tangled woodlands 

and sky-bound expanses;  Sketched on the canvas of history,

this dance of survival included unclear paths

highlighted by leaps and flights.  

I was taught that every stride 

was a metaphor for perseverance.


(c) Nwafor Oji Awala 

May 2025


Note; 

The poem explores the themes of survival, heritage, and perseverance, using animal imagery to symbolize resilience and the connection between past and present. The speaker reflects on their ancestry and the lessons learned from nature about facing challenges.

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