Poetic License: Cheetah is Gone at 81
Shirley danced in my temple of fame,
Deanna sang to a hundred men.
Gloria Jean dropped her last name
Like Cheetah who is gone at 81.
Rin Tin Tin choked in medical disaster,
Trigger and Champion into glue long gone.
None of them outlived their master
‘Cept Cheetah who lasted to 81.
Weissmuller fell in his jungle gym,
O’Sullivan abandoned mate and son.
Sheffield’s Boy Bomba failed to swim,
But almost made it like Cheetah to 81.
King Kong, Godzilla – false creations,
Mickey’s 75th just bogus fun;
Disney animals all animations –
Not Cheetah, always real to 81.
Higgins played Benji, Skippy starred as Asta,
Peggy was Bonzo in the movie with Ron;
Molly was Francis, O’Connor her master;
Cheetah was still Cheetah at 81.
Ask not “Where are the snows of yesteryear?”
And “Where have all the flowers gone?”
So many stars and animals no longer here —
Cheetah’s finally joined them at 81.