The Bear

They asked me:

"Would you choose

the man

or the bear?"

I replied:

I chose the kind smile,

and it stole

my happiness.

I chose the gentle voice,

and it convinced me

I was nothing.

I chose the patient hands,

and they left me

broken and bruised.

I chose the comforting presence,

and it stole

my innocence.

So they asked again:

"Would you choose

the man,

or the bear?"

I replied:

I chose the bear.

We wandered through forests

in search of honey,

and when he was hungry,

it wasn't for my beauty.

I chose the wolf.

We sat beneath the moon,

lifting our voices to the night,

and when he bared his teeth,

it wasn't because of my skirt.

I chose the lion.

Together we crossed the savanna,

and when he roared,

it was never because I said no.

I chose the tiger.

We swam through winding rivers,

and when he hunted,

he did not pretend it was love.

The bear never

promised safety.

The wolf never

promised trust.

The lion never

promised gentleness.

The tiger never

promised love.

They were dangerous,

but they were honest.

And honesty

is easier to survive

than a smile

hiding teeth.

---

This poem is based on the thought experiment, "A Man or a Bear?"

Many hear our answer and miss the point entirely. We are not choosing a predator over a kind soul.

The predator was never the animal.

The animal comes as it is, with no disguise and no deception.

The predator has always been the man hiding behind a mask of feigned kindness.