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A lone impala buck stands on a grassy plain.
Photo by Pieter van Noorden on Unsplash

I saw an impala buck
Proud in his masculine prowess
I saw the wild dogs of Africa
Caring and nurturing towards their starving young
Set out on a hunt to feed and provide
For those they love so much
I saw their paths collide
And the buck run for his life
And the dogs chase for theirs
And the buck get tired of running and face the dogs
And the dogs make their move with their sharp fangs and desperate need
disembowel the buck
And the buck keep fighting
And go down
And get back up
And fight some more
even as his viscera
Was becoming the sustenance
For a new generation
And his heart had no more blood to pump
Into his badly mauled muscles
But still pumped will and dignity
And he finally went down
And I wondered:
What was his name?
I wish I knew his name
I wish humanity knew his name
I know he had to die, but
I wish I knew his name.

Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer’s identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.

Cesar Suarez is a writer and poet incarcerated in California.