P IS FOR PANGOLIN: A POEM BY VIRGINIA MCKENNA
In honour of her 90th birthday, we are sharing a poem written by Virginia McKenna OBE, one of our Patrons. Following a successful career as an actress, Virginia founded the Born Free Foundation in 1984. Working to save lives, stop suffering and protect species in the wild, it is now one of the world’s most […]
In honour of her 90th birthday, we are sharing a poem written by Virginia McKenna OBE, one of our Patrons. Following a successful career as an actress, Virginia founded the Born Free Foundation in 1984. Working to save lives, stop suffering and protect species in the wild, it is now one of the world’s most respected wildlife welfare charities. They were instrumental in the establishment of our Centre, Malawi’s first and only wildlife sanctuary.
P is for Pangolin
I wish I understood
Why people hurt me,
Kill me,
Eat me.
It is true, of course,
That I kill too. But ants and
Other insects.
Not creatures most people eat.
And I am used
For other reasons too.
For medicine –
They say my scales
Can cure heart disease
And cancer.
Of course I can’t be sure
As I’m no longer
There.
I wonder if, one day,
All of us will
Be gone. Will anyone be sad?
I do try and hide
When people hurt me.
I roll into a ball.
But they still see me,
And steal me,
And kill me.
Not everyone is the same
I know. Some rescue me
Care for me and even
Like me.
I hope, with all my heart, that they can
Save me.
Do remember that
P is for Pangolin
P is for Pain
P is for Protect
PLEASE
P is for Pangolin
Ndikulaka-laka ndikanamvetsetsa
Chifukwa chimene anthu amandipwetekera
Amandipha
Amandidya
Ndi zoona. Inde
Kuti inenso ndimapha. Koma nyerere
Ndi zilombo zina
Osati zolengedwa zomwe anthu ambiri amadya
Ndipo ndimagwiritsidwa ntchito
Pa zifukwa zinanso
Cha mankhwala
Amati mamba anga
Amachiza nthenda ya mtima
Ndipo ngakhalenso nthenda ya khansa
Inde sindingatsimikize
Chifukwa sindilinso
Kumeneko
Ndimaganizira ngati tsiku lina
Tonsefe tidzakhala titapita. Kodi alipo amene adzakhala ndi chisoni?
Ndimayesa ndipo ndimabisala
Pamene anthu amandipweteka
Ndimazizinga ngati mpira
Koma amandionabe
Ndipo amandiba
Ndiponso amandipha
Sionse ndi ofanana
Ndimadziwa. Ena amandipulumutsa
Kundisamalira ndipo ngakhale
Kundikonda
Ndikukhulupirira ndi mtima wanga wonse kuti angathe
Kundipulumutsa
Kodi mukukumbukira kuti?
Mu chizungu chilembo P ndichoyambirira cha pangolin (ngaka)
Mu chizungu chilembo P ndichoyambirira cha pain (ululu)
Mu chizungu chilembo P ndichoyambirira cha protect (kuteteza)
PLEASE
