Archive
02/16/10
The Year of the Tiger
Perhaps fewer than 1400 Still roam India's diminished forests; Purportedly, China boasts no more than twenty, in the wild. Oh, those gorgeously striped quadrupedal predators, Whose exponentially lessening population, Now estimated, wordwide, at less than 3200, Is threatening to disappear into thin airiness, just like that. And who cares? Does anyone out there have anything to gain, by their survival? Well, yes, indeed. The Chinese nouveau riche do, Who eagerly shell out $20,000 for a trophy pelt, $1000 for a single paw, $132 for a bottle of six-year-old brew. It's all about the emulsified bones, especially, All about the robust magical medicinal properties Of alcohol-based healing tonics, elixirs, nostrums, All about the aphrodisiacal powers, the libidinal stimulation, Tiger bone steeped in rice-based wine provides. Testimonials abound — "This stuff works wonders"; "One shot glass, taken daily, religiously, Can cure rheumatism, reduce joint stiffness, arthritis, And increase sexual vigor and potency tenfold, guaranteed." For a $12 entry fee, at a Xiongsen animal park (One of twenty such government-ignored farms throughout China), Visitors can see tigers leap through fiery rings, balance on balls, Watch workers force cows into their enclosures, And then load up car trunks, with wine tonic they buy by the case (Bottles no longer labeled with references to the tiger), Then drive away, past a large sign Proclaiming, with patriotic, law-abiding, nature-loving fervor, "Protecting Wild Animals Is the Bounden Duty of Every Citizen."
02/16/10
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