Pangolin

they live in Sumatra
About the size of a cat
Loving the forest
And it doesn’t attack
They are very shy
Live on ants and termites
A mass of thick scales
But a soul without rights

China has thrust itself
Into the light
It’s a great ancient country
In everyone’s sight
But it still has some
Ideas of curing it’s sick
By torturing animals
And some they pick

Are fairly endangered
The Pangolin they
Are slowly creeping
Through jungles all day
they roll into a ball
That’s their defence
So are easily captured
It just makes no sense

Their scales are pure keratin
A bit like our nails
A bit like the rhino horn
But their death pales
Into insignificance
Under the weight
Of China
and it’s traditional medicine gate

So pangolins too are the victims we see
Torn out of the forest so mercilessly
Tortured and slaughtered
Their scales torn off and they
Stimulate lactation
Or that’s what they say

They cure the Palsy
And draw out the pus
And for that reason
We now kill them
Yea no fuss
Murder the innocent
Ship them away
To China to abuse them
For ever and a day