Rainy Day Healing

Poem, November 2014, hellopoetry.com:

life of hyenas by Raj Arumugam

I went to this meeting

(when I was a kid)

of hyenas;

and the ritual

consisted mainly of laughing

and they laughed and they laughed –

you know, and I just didn’t get it

I demanded an explanation –

but no fellow-hyena could explain it

everybody laughs

nobody knows why;

and now I am an adult hyena

and I just laugh – it’s something to do

with survival, I think

---

The hyena, although intelligent, has a poor reputation. It is different from the wild dogs and animals of the African plains. It is unusual looking, seemingly slinking in evil deception or cowardice with its slouched and sloping silhouette. Fierce in its attack, it crushes bones, eating its prey until nothing remains. As a scavenger, its role is to leave a clean plate, a clean ground, a clean planet. Yet it is social, caring tenderly for its young.

---

ADVICE: It may be a time for you to accept that you look different, unique, and that you attract criticism and taunts for it. Continue being yourself. Dare to be different. You know your role on the planet and it is a noble one. You often hold back and wait your turn, then you clean the Board table with your wisdom. You bring about change in the family and in the community. Start an environmental campaign, a ‘clean streets’ action plan, or a clean green Nature march. Laugh, but don’t snigger, when you achieve your goals.

---

“A sense of humour is good for you. Have you ever heard of a laughing hyena with heart burn?.” – Bob Hope

Hyena:

Mammal

Hyaenidae family

Sloped back

Scavenger

Their jaws can crush bones

Laughter-like sound

African countries