I went to the zoo
well, it was something to do
hadn’t been there in years
 

impressed by the design
simulated habitats
for the species comfort
 

some seemed content
alert and playful
flying, swimming, grazing
 

some seemed bored
napping not moving
in the shade or shelters
 

the otters behaved insanely
repetitive back flips
over and over in the same place
 

the tigers were playful
the lions were sleeping
the bears paced back and forth
 

so many signs described
endangered species
mankind had plowed over their lands
 

here in this make shift world
they existed without starving
or fear of predators attack
 

did it change who they were
their natural instincts
affecting the will to survive
 

I thought of national parks
where the animals were
still free, but protected
 

and yet,
incidents of poaching
still existed
 

wild life parks
large enclosed compounds
for free range roaming
 

yet animals separated
into non predatory categories
and still daily fed by man
 

at least in the wild
in natural selection
it was survival of the fittest
 

here in the zoo
what if the keepers didn’t come
would the animals starve to death
 

as usual, I was analyzing
thinking out loud
questions without easy answers
 

it is what it is, the zoo
and the weather was nice
I relaxed, and just enjoyed its beauty