On the savanna

Between the lions and emus

We stop for lunch and

Begin to grieve the pandas.

“They’re coming back, you know.”

“Yeah, thank God we avoided world war 3.”

And Leo stares through us

Towards his courageous namesake.

Today he is older,

I suppose I am too,

But as he smiles, and tries again

To walk like a grown up

I feel excited.

“Can we bring Leo back when the pandas return?” I ask his mother.