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ODE TO A FOX
By Judi Hewitt
L.A.C.S. Supporter 
from The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals, Bulletin 65, Spring 2005 www.aswa.org.uk 

 

The hunt has arrived - to the sound of the horn
As my cubs snuggle closer - on this their last dawn
Can the hunters not hear my anguished cry?
If I stay with my babies - I'll certainly die
My cubs have not yet learned - to fear mankind
And so I'm afraid - we'll be easy to find
Can the hunt not feel a mother's pain?
As they butcher my cubs - without any shame
My family in tatters - my world torn apart
The hunters now have me - and rip out my heart
So the next time you see the hunt
Laughing with glee
Think of my poor cubs - then think about me.

Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them,
But to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission -
To be of service to them wherever they require it.
~Francis of Assisi