Thursday, April 1, 2010

An April Fool Ends Badly

In that age of aged seasons
predating our own's four-square rhyme,
a reasonable jape was hatched
beaked but hairy to a guilt-free Hen
whose humors ran with jaw-slackening
creatures, foul and not at all bird-like.

Soon after its mixed-up cracking,
two prattle-prone Wrens hopped to spread
rumors of an un-chickity chick
and the ungodly origins
of fatherless yowls. Their tittered jeers
found welcome ears, and Mother Hen preened
her babe chased by merciless guffaws.

This Hen was not one to lay
down meekly, and a never stony
tongue rolled out its antidote myth
to a pair of gabby Gulls: "My child
may look not-much, but he's divine
engendered and miraculous born.
Sure he's messy, ah, but you'll see
he'll grow to be, much-much-more than
any feathery tykes your like did bear."

She clucked it so seriously,
who were they to doubt her? The plumed
sniggering ceased. But before another
grateful day could dawn in a hallelujah
glare of right angles, out pecking
up a snack, Mother made eye
contact with an unfortunate Fate
brandishing his lucky-gripped ax.

What of her wonder-why, joke of a boy?
Left alone at straw-pocket home,
waiting for his Hen to return,
he starved then decayed to hollow bones,
and was never thought of again.

5 comments:

Jenny said...

Once again, I came to think of Chukovsky, the wit, humor and a hint of melancholy.

Really good sparkling poem, where new things will appear for every reading (as with all your texts).

Anders Enochsson said...

This was a cascade of wondrous fancy, well fit for an Easter poem. Reading it made me much more cheery. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

This was a ride! Thank you. Holy baloney. I appreciate that I feel dizzy now by all this feathery beings. Jumping around.

Francis Scudellari said...

Thanks all. I did have Easter on the mind (and April Fools Day) when I wrote this.

human being said...

seems the 'hallelujah
glare of right angles' is a deteriorating element in our life...

;)

'not being thought of again' is not horrible... waiting for a return... can be a very dangerous and futile act!