I remember writing this poem on the spur of the moment. I had been watching a documentary on thousands of Moon Bears being captivated for bile juice extraction in China. This really broke my heart because the bears in the cage cried in pain. This was originally an essay but I turned it into a poem. My idea for this poem is to let people know that although animals cannot speak our languages, they still have feelings and emotions just like us.

How does it feel to be trapped in a congested room roughly the size of you?
Is the pain unendurable as they inject torture in you?
Isn’t it sad as you watch humanity dissipate and the darkest sins planted?
Following your friends into the arms of death is not what you wanted.
Do you incessantly live in agony, bleakness and fear?
How does it feel to live the life of a captivated Moon Bear?

I have a dream; I dream of roaming around the wet green trees of the jungle.
I dream of enjoying the smell of the fresh earth that I so long for.
Someday, I’ll look up at the sky and find joy under a shower of rain.
Droplets of rain running across my face while drenching my thick furry coat.
I am just a Moon bear.

I hope to find food that I’ve always fancied since childhood,
The smell of honey nearby my cave is where I’d like to live.
May it be solitary and may it be a safe haven for bears like me;
Yes, I’d rather live away from the vicinity of humans.
I am just a Moon bear.

They seized away my mother to a land of sins and chaos,
A land where our torture is pleasurable for them.
Content in taking away our freedom,
They celebrate as our blood quenches their never-ending thirst.
I am just a Moon Bear.

As I try to relax in this cage, I reminisce the memories of my mother.
Despite the pain in my stomach,
I continue to fight for my worthless life,
Hoping to find hope in a world robbed of hope.
It is dark and cold; I haven’t felt the sunlight for a long time.
As I close my eyes, I live in my far-fetched dream.
I am, after all, just a Moon bear.