The broken path

a doe walked the forest

bleeding profusely

summarised, the work of hyenas.

commented the fox

weren’t you supposed,

to be at home.

whom did you befriend

senseless girl, quipped jackal.

vultures encircling

anticipating the doe fall

every door, rebuked her more

but the monkeys,

who vet her, harboured her

quips the mother monkey

“forest, no more,

a safe place, kiddos”

innocent trapped, upholding values

valueless trapped, satiating ego

the king’s canine, scraped blunt

ethos in mint press

intent compromised