THE LION’S CROWN

The elephant,

vast as a mountain,

its tusks sharp enough to carve valleys,

its footsteps shaking the earth to its core.

It could crush the lion underfoot,

turn the king to dust—

yet it does not rule.

For strength alone does not wear the crown.

_____

The cheetah—

a streak of fire across the plains,

faster than the wind,

faster than the sound of its own heartbeat.

Its speed could outrun the lion’s roar,

yet the throne is not won by fleeting moments.

Quickness cannot hold kingdoms steady.

_______

The eagle,

eyes sharp enough to see the edge of the world.

its wings slicing through the heavens,

It soars where no lion can reach,

yet it does not descend to claim the earth.

For the skies may be vast,

but they do not make kings.

______

The wolf, a shadow in the snow,

its strength lies in the pack—

a symphony of howls that commands the night.

But even in numbers,

the wolf cannot take the throne.

Unity alone does not crown rulers unshaken.

______

The serpent,

silent and deadly,

its venom a whisper that turns life to ash.

It waits, it watches,

its cunning,

sharp as any claw.

Yet the crown avoids the sly;

the throne cannot be tainted with savagery.

______

The tiger,

a shadow draped in stripes of fire,

its roar a thunderclap that splits the jungle—

Perhaps louder, deeper, more massive than the lion’s cry.

Its muscles ripple with raw, untamed power,

a predator born to dominate the hunt.

It moves like a whisper through the trees,

a phantom no prey can outrun.

______

Yet, it prowls alone,

its solitude a badge and a burden.

Its roar echoes but does not command,

its strength terrifies but does not unify.

For what is a king

without a kingdom to bear witness?

The tiger rules the shadows,

but the shadows do not wear crowns.

_____

And yet…

the lion.

It is not the strongest.

It is not the fastest.

It cannot fly,

nor does it hunt in numbers.

But the lion—

oh, the lion walks with its head high,

its mane a banner of defiance against the sun.

Its roar doesn’t just echo;

it declares.

It owns the air,

it bends the silence to its will.

______

The lion’s power isn’t in its claws—

it’s in its presence.

It stands,

when every other beast would kneel.

It claims,

when every other would cower.

It believes,

Even when belief itself seems impossible.

_____

Do not be as the elephant.

Halt the stampede,

still the restless thunder within.

Do not wield your weight

like a weapon without aim.

_______

Refuse the fleeting glory of the tiger and cheetah.

Roar not to intimidate,

but to declare.

Take your place—

not borrowed, but earned.

Let your roar shatter the silence,

and then be still again.

Feel the weight of your crown,

the one that was always yours.

______

Dear eagle, wolf, and all who hide in shadows,

RISE!

Step down from the high horse of shame.

Hold pride in one hand

and humility in the other.

For kingship is not taught—

it is claimed.

_______

So tell me,

what is the crown you seek?

Is it power?

Is it speed?

Or is it the courage to roar so loud that the world remembers your name?

_______

The lion reigns,

not because it is the greatest,

but because it believes it’s destined to rule.

And maybe—

just maybe—

that’s all it takes.