Mother Elizabeth!

Somewhere in the deep jungles, I roam as a free monkey,
doing acrobatics makes you call me gymnastic and funny.
Men trap us as a young baby, straight away from the jungle,
remember, we always like to live as troops, social and humble.


Why do you use us in the local circus, make us do all the rolling?
remember you, humans, the fact, we are not meant for your joking.
When there is no freedom for you in lockdown, how you all behave?
same is the emotion when our neck is tied up and made a slave


I was born as one among the million species of my Earth,
but you men think, here, that you conquered back and forth.
One day, I was shattered by an acid attack and rendered blind,
beaten, attacked, blinded by heinous men, for no mistake of mine.


My life was threatened but quickly rescued by Angels of God,
vehemently rehabilitated to a rescue shelter by the mercy of Lord.
Not letting my blindness burden, I learned to sharpen my other senses,
very soon I fostered orphaned, juvenile monkeys within the fences.

I did not stop providing my motherly care even though blind,
ushered all my care and love to all orphaned monkeys of the wild.
Men cannot replace the motherly love of many an orphaned, displaced ape,
fortunately, we ape have Angels of God, who rescue us, as a bearer of hope.

Contributed by Mr Suresh Menon.

(Moved by one of PfA's notable foster mothers - Elizabeth, Mr Suresh shares his views on the plight of Bonnet Macaques through the story of Elizabeth.)