The poem “Albert and the Lion” is a depicted piece which is transparent and twisted at the same time. The poem starts talking with a happy family who on a Sunday afternoon decides to visit any place nearby. They pass by the ocean but do not take bath in it because they are scared of the waves. The parents with their little son Albert decide to visit the zoo. Little Albert is a mischievous child and is always up with a prank or the other. His parents decide to visit the zoo mainly because of the reason that their son love animals, be it a lion or a camel. When they pass by, they are delighted to see the animals. This family is not aware of the mishap that is eagerly waiting for them soon.
Albert being a mischievous and naughty child pricks the Lion’s ear. The result is obvious, the Lion becomes very angry with this and swallows up little Albert. Only the cap of this child is left behind. When his father notices this incident he informs Robert’s mother about it and thus both of them now stay awestruck and are filled with deep grief because of the loss of their only son.
The father visits the manager of the zoo explaining the entire incident and because the manager does not want the matter to go to the police, he asks Albert’s father whether he can settle this matter. Though his father asks what kind of settlement do they offer for a dead child, he does not accepts the manager’s demand. Both Albert’s mother and father visit the police station and expect the police to look into the matter carefully. But they are again disheartened with what the police officers say.
Image Source: kids.nationalgeographic.com
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The police officers actually consider this incident as being a natural one and thus say that no help can be provided. Albert’s parents had to return with a sad heart because not only has their son left them but they cannot harm or teach any lesson to the Lion who harmed their son. Had it been a human being, the matter would have been taken to the courts. What is astonishing about the poem is that though the poem starts depicting a lazy Sunday of a happy family but at the end, the family is left in deep sorrow and grief.
Though the poem is simple but it has a deep hidden meaning inside. The poem tries to explain the fact that life is very unpredictable. A happy day can turn out to be a sad one and a sad day can also turn out to be a happy one. It is essential for all the human beings to maintain a balance in their emotions mainly because of the fact that just like a day is followed by a night, similarly both good and bad days do not exist forever.