When the trainer
shouted “no!”
the lion clearly knew
the meaning of the word
A whispered “no”
might have cost him an arm
but an emphatic “no!”
was as good as
a crack of the whip
that he held
in his right hand
The lion retreated
to its stool
beside its brother lion.
The big cats
growled in unison
under their breath.
Not quite a “yes.”
But not exactly a “no” either.
