This poignant image conjures a powerful metaphor of decline and resignation. The 'abandoned beast,' once regal and dominant, now reduced to a state of helplessness and introspection. The act of nibbling his claws highlights a helplessness and perhaps a self-destruction born from frustration or despair. It evokes the quiet suffering of beings (or perhaps individuals) who have lost their power and identity, yet remain internally aware of their former glory. The statement that there's 'not anger enough left - no, nor despair - to break his teeth on the bars' suggests a state beyond emotion—a profound ennui or exhaustion—where even rebellion or resistance seems futile. This can be interpreted as a commentary on the loss of vitality, dignity, or purpose, where defeat shifts from being an active force to a passive, resigned state. It also reflects the universal theme of aging, decline, or the end of a journey, emphasizing that at certain times, life's struggles drain us of the passion to fight or escape. Such imagery resonates deeply, inviting us to contemplate moments in our own lives when we feel trapped or irrelevant, and wonder about the quiet, often unnoticed, transformations that accompany degradation. The metaphor extends beyond the individual, possibly commenting on societal or political systems that have fallen from their heights and now exist in a state of sluggish decay, powerless and inert. The richness of this metaphor underscores the intricacies of human condition, emphasizing that sometimes, our greatest battles are fought within, not with others—where resignation replaces hope.

---Cecil Day-Lewis---