Powerless

I met this tiger at the zoo on my birthday. He was really strikingly beautiful,with a healthy coat and distinct markings. He walked right up to the glass and turned his head away, almost as if he couldn't bear to look at me and all the other visitors. Perhaps I'm being a bit romantic but he seemed to have an acute awareness of his own situation, a sense of his own powerlessness.  

Children around me banged their fists on the glass and wailed at his lack of attention. Amused parents egged them on and objectified him with their words while he continued to look away. I love zoos for their educational purpose but the older I get, the more I feel sorry for the animals. They simply weren't meant for captivity,(especially in an Irish climate in a small enclosure) and beneath all the packaging and smiles, in some cases it can be really sad.