The Panther: Personal Reflection

I found this poem to be very vague in its meaning. I'm not sure I have fully understood the meaning behind the poem but I have a few thoughts of what it could be. First off, the poem has a very dark tone, even in the sense of the panther. The panther was chosen for its darkening image among the other dark language used in the poem's description of the panther being caged from the world. Also, the panther is significant to be the animal chosen to be in the cage because it is a more mysterious creature than others such as a lion. A panther, historically, has been at the edge of environmental tragedies. This panther could symbolize the injustices placed on a certain person or group. However, who or what could this be? Reading this poem, I have noticed certain details that may describe this, but I'm still unsure what exactly it could symbolize. However, what is known is that the images of confinement and that the image the panther sees in the end create a feeling of sympathy for the creature that is cut off from the world on the other side of the bars. I'm curious to understand the exact symbolic meaning behind this poem.