Wild Kingdom

[Hawkman]

Wild Kingdom
There’s a girl I know got vultures in her garden.
There’s a girl I know got corpses on the lawn.
She leaves them there to rot,
coz it doesn’t cost a lot,
though the smell attracts
some comment round the town.

A girl I know got coyotes round her corner.
A girl I know can prove the corner’s there.
But the evidence is thin
for coyotes round her bin,
as she hasn’t caught the
naughty beasts on camera.

A girl I know got eaten by a cougar.
A girl I know got lost out in the bush.
Her dog just didn’t save her
when the pumas came to savour
all her tender bits
and crunchy bones as well.

A girl I know got buried in the graveyard.
Her coffin and the hole it filled were small.
She didn’t need a crater,
for the animals that ate her
didn’t leave a lot behind,
no, not at all…

[tailor STATELY]

There’s a girl I know got vultures in her garden.


A bit disturbing... but then life sometimes is. Well shown.

If this was an ekphrastic expression I might venture this horrific scene: https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/vulture-little-girl/

Wonderful to see you posting; hoping all is well.

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor

[Hawkman]

Hi Tailor, and thanks for reading. I think you are rather missing the point (and tone) of the post to link ekphrastic origins of such a sombre and morbid nature to this piece. The mention of coyotes and cougars places the location firmly in the US. The poem was born out of a private conversation with a long standing friend and litnet veteran. She sent me a photo she'd taken of a bird she'd seen near her home, asking me what it was. It was a turkey vulture. (Apparently, there was a dead squirrel lying on the grass outside the school) She then told me it was like Wild Kingdom in her neighbourhood and then volunteered the info that there were coyotes about. She sent me a photo of the corner of her street to prove it, but there was no coyote to be seen! :D She had also previously told me she'd got lost on a dog walk, which doubled its length. So you see, I was just having fun and extrapolating a walk on the wild side to a fairly extreme conclusion. As for my state of health, I'm getting older, fatter and more blighted with pain, but such are the natural shocks that flesh is heir to.

In conclusion, might I ask that you do not quote entire poems. I don't mind a line or two, but quoting an entire poem prevents me from being able to remove it, and should I wish to publish elsewhere, this can become an issue. A full quote of a piece kind of hijacks it.

Live and be well - H

[tailor STATELY]

In conclusion, might I ask that you do not quote entire poems.... done. Hoping your poem will be published... (always wondered why poets would post then delete... sales!) Don't wait too long to remove if desired though, or it will remain a lasting testament to you due to software limitations :(


... the location firmly in the US.... Noted. Not being privy to your conversation I interpolated your poem as more of a universal theme of suffering everywhere, US, or otherwise. I'm glad it was a one off and only the "extrapolation" of a wandering mind, not unlike Charles Addams' cartoons perhaps... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Addams

Again, great to see you posting :)

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor

[Hawkman]

It seems that the limitations of the forum are multiplying. I have tried to perform a minor edit on the post to alter a spurious capitalisation and apostrophe, and I can't without completely deleting the post. Very irritating. Why can't software developers leave things that work alone. Why the endless quest to bugger things up? Admins take note.

[Danik 2016]

Hi, Hawkman,
The forum has become seasonal as to editing posts. If you catch it in a good mood you will be able to edit them. If not the only possibility is by copying your entire post and pasting in the empty space that appeared. Then you can work at it as you want.

[Hawkman]

Thanks for the tip Danik. ��