Zoosiana

By Nicole Cater

What’s in a name? 
What does the word conjure?
Zoosiana:  both wild and timid animals, delight and rapture.
Enclosures built to resemble all of nature.
Care is taken to use wisely every acre.
Alligator feeding time is the most popular,
Keepers trot out chickens that couldn’t be deader.
Louisiana is hot, and Lafayette even more so.
Few of the animals feel like putting on a show.
Friendly otters in their fake river ignore the heat.
They draw crowds who “ooh” and “aah” over every feat.
But danger lurks in this innocent childhood joy land.
Not every creature is nice, beware where you stick your hand,
Ah, the petting zoo, harmless little creatures, hoping for some love.
For a quarter, you can feed them pellets and watch them shove.
But a monster lurks amidst this false Utopia, hidden in plain sight.
We’re talking about Llamas, and it’s time people saw the light.
Truly, is a petting zoo filled with children the place for a Llama?
Berserk Llama Syndrome is real, it’s dangerous, and it’s full on drama.
You may not believe me; you may scoff at my dire warnings.
But in Zoosiana, a llama has tasted blood, my blood, and now he has cravings.