WHEN WE WERE KINGS

In Ancient Egypt Bastet claimed a golden throne
Freyja’s slain Valkyries we carried home
Waghoba’s heedful claws protected the jungle
Yet yellow-eyed Shere Khan sought only trouble

Through the heavens did Scorpio and Orion float
As the owl and the pussycat sailed in their boat
On cagey Tweety did hapless Sylvester try to pounce
While luckless Tom chased Jerry around the house

A black and white Bagpuss made you smile
Followed by Garfield’s smirk for a while
When the Cheshire Cat’s grin faded from view
Puss-in-Boots’ was given by Perrault to you
Mighty Aslan roared the day
Poor Richard Parker was castaway

From Pangur Bán’s mousing
To Tigger’s gleeful bouncing
It would seem our nine lives hold many a disguise
But sadly, we still wait for you to realise
That assuredly we deserve your boundless devotion
Without reducing ourselves to maudlin displays of emotion

So, from her haughty queenlike glare
To his stoic graceful green-eyed stare
I stand here tall as a reminder
Of shadows of our former selves laid bare
After all, once we were gods and will never forget
Remember this humans and nobody will be upset