The Lion and the Monkey and the Tree

It was when all the animals lived together
the Monkey took a loan from the Lion and
the Lion was always asking for the money back
time and again the Monkey answered you will
get your money

one day the Lion turned to the Boss the Fox
mister Fox the Monkey has taken my money
even now he has not repaid me

all the animals were summoned to The Frequency
the Cow the Sheep the Goat the Rat the Hyena
the Buffalo and everybody else sat silent beneath
the tree and heard the proceedings
if the Monkey did not pay he would be eaten
by the Lion so read the verdict
it was the only way no one can
beat the Lion’s strength
the animals all knew to be afraid of the lion
and fear spread in The Frequency fear
sentenced the Monkey

if you do not pay all the animals spoke with one
voice the Monkey would be eaten everyone
was afraid

when the Fox the Boss saw the convicted Monkey
he did not like it that the Monkey would be eaten
he was not interested in this he said

you Monkey are sentenced to be eaten by the Lion
but you see the tree here at the center of The Frequency
I the Fox sentence you like everyone else so there is
consensus about that but you cannot eat
something with the tree in mind

and the Monkey understood the Fox and he climbed
the tree in The Frequency and all the animals
left The Frequency and scattered in the wind

and the Lion could not eat the Monkey up there

then even a child understands what it means
to borrow money another thing is that the Fox was not
so democratic in his view of the weak but that the Monkey
would suffer all his days in his refuge.

The Lion is king of everything. But in the crown of the tree
sits the Monkey. And so the Lion became the hungry one.

~

The Lion and the Monkey Who Pulled the Strings

Vladislav Surkov First Deputy Chief of
the Presidential Administration seated before the Lion
on TV your assessments are obviously correct
I would never dare to question them

the Lion sat down in the royal seat and counted
the dinner guests one he said and pointed with his
lion claw that’s me the Lion two that’s
the Wolf there who makes three with the Bear and
then the Monkey that’s four

the Lion an apparently perfect mix of
propaganda and showbiz the Lion
the central image at the heart of the show the Lion

an action figure on a tiger hunt the cool kid who
straddles a Harley but also
the housewives’ mouthpiece in the lament over
the cost of milk

the highlight of the program is when the Lion in a
televised ritual pillorying sits
eye to eye with his ministers how they
sweat and tremble with fear and shame for you
have betrayed me and your country says the Lion

the Lion thereafter divided the prey in four equal
parts I am King of the Lions so naturally I
get the first piece the next one is mine since I am
stronger and the third is mine since I am
braver than any of you as for the
fourth piece it is mine because it is
the last I need a proper meal

The Lion thinks he is always on the savannah,
even though he is cage-fed.

~

• Ida Börjel (b. 1975) is a poet and translator based in Malmö.*