Ecology of Moon vs Sun Warriors in the Animal Kingdom
Cultures across the globe pay homage to deities of sun and moon- these celestial forces wield great power over the natural world as well.
As different cultures celebrate, and sometimes, war over their deities, they show reverance to forces of nature; namely the Sun and Moon.
Call them Ra, Helios, Tonatiuh, Surya - sun gods who blaze trails of light. Or Thoth, Selene, Metztli, Chandra, the gentle moon goddesses who illuminates the darkness. In the Aztecs, Tonatiuh demands sacrifice for his gift. Meanwhile, in the Norse, Sol rides her sun chariot across the sky. Cycles of warmth and waxing and waning shape the world below.
Whatever they may mean to us, these celestial bodies have a direct effect on nature and animals too. This letter consists of four poems describing such phenomena using real examples of animal life in conflict: lions stalking hyenas in the sun's domain; bats ruling the moonlit skies but facing the bids who hunt in dawn's early light; the night triumph of owls versus hawks that own the day.
In the Night’s shore, turtles tread the sands of time
When Dawn's light breaks their journey,
the seagulls descend,
those ambling hatchlings are soon dead.
Lions rule the night with calm steps,
Hyenas prowl the sun's early onset,
Clashing over land and shared prey,
Savannah home to their endless fray,
Night falls, the moon bestows its glow
Bats take to the skies, their wings flutter
Insects fill the air, the swarm they chase
Come dawn, the sun's first light awakes
The birds with feathers bright as snow
Who vie with bats for the same embrace
Owl hunts beneath the moon's cold face,
Hawk owns the sun's warm embrace,
Ancient rivals with wings take flight,
One rules the day, the other night,
Both fierce warriors of sky and space
