Survival

In the backside of our home

A cat started living under the junkyard dome

Soon she gave birth to kittens three

We all were now full of glee

Every morning she would go to hunt

A squirrel or a rat she must confront

She would nurse the kids with great devotion

A bowl of milk was the contribution of our emotion

The first kitten was very fast and nimble

Of speed he was the ultimate symbol

The second was also agile

But the third one was too fragile

The first two would quickly approach the bowl

And would like to drink it all

With anger the mother would growl and pique

Milk for the third one if they did not keep

The first two quickly learnt to walk and climb

But the third one took so much more time

He was slow in every respect

Energy he could just not collect

We were sure he would not survive

But with great love the mother continued to strive

She would patiently teach and wait

The slow one’s life was not left to fate

Independent the two kittens quickly grew

Now they ventured to explore paths ever new

But the slow guy used to always cling

With the mother he was tied with an invisible string

One day the first kitten ventured out all alone

A speeding car—and he was dead and gone

A few days later the second one climbed the wall

Till the next street he continued to crawl

He was playing very smart

But still the dogs there ripped him apart

Now only the slow and shy remained

Eventually in the game of life only he sustained

Gradually he learnt the tricks of life

And continued till the end of his strife

He was destined to take it ahead

Through him her genes would now spread

‘Survival of the fittest’ may have some flaw

‘Survival of the dearest’ is certainly a competing law

Nature is immense and vast

It is yet to reveal the law that is last