His name is Borges.
This is the tiger of Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book,
the tiger Sambo turned into butter for his pancakes,
Jeff Sexton, aware of my disconcertion,
mentioned our predicament
to the class in the photo on the previous page.
They stormed into Becke’s office at lunchtime,
checkbooks and credit cards in hand,
insisting that we bring Antoine Barye’s tiger
to Wizard Academy.
If ever you notice a tiger at twilight pacing the limestone ridge
above Engelbrecht House and clamber up the hill to investigate,
you will find a bronze plaque listing the names of the
TigerWriters of 2010.
TigerWriters of 2010.
We haven’t ordered that plaque yet,
but we will. It’s important.
This really is your school.