Hello Terence
A nice sonnet with a good classic flavour and technically well composed.
I do have some problems with following the story and the meaning of the content offered.
S1 is really great and sets up the scene and activity. This could be the live situation of a hunter and predator seriously stalking one another but the title suggests it is a only game. That lead me to suppose that there is a metaphore involved and the “Lions “ were young boys playing a hunting game.
S2 elabourates on the ethics involved but actually adds nothing of value to the image in place since it is already adequately declared in S1
“Our aim, the price of victory we’d claim
to satisfy the nature of our souls.”
Quote:Yet victory has no real champion
when pride is motivation for success
and honor in the moment is forgone,
forsaking all traditions of noblesse.
However, I’m more inclined now to the game scenario because pride is involved and “Yet victory has no real champion.” BTW I have never heard of real lions inhabiting beaches.
S3 is an ode to the lion, for who’s character the narrator has great respect and admiration. I don’t follow the second couplet as the implication is that the lion actually died so this contradicts S2
The closing couplet repeats the title but L14 while implying feelings of guilt, sheds no further light so I’m left puzzled to what the real message of the poem is.
I hope these comments are useful
Cheers,
Wally