Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Prey















I saw a long, lean half wild rangy thing,

Climbing from the creek into the yard.

It slinked its way across the field

On silent feet and stopped, arrested

By the scent of a baby doll left by

The neighbor’s carefree, careless child.

I suppose God must love even cagey things,

Those attracted by the smell of innocence,

Themselves one moment abandoned on the ground,

The next locked in the jaws of something other,

The next, disappearing into dark beneath the trees.

20 comments:

  1. I love the way you put words together. Powerful Karen
    Linda

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  2. I like the doll as scapegoat, the child's fortunate escape, the empathy. Chilling poem, Karen.

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  3. Wow Karen, there's a lot to like in this one, the attraction to innocence, and the trio of fates at the end is just a brilliant ending. Bravo

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  4. Beautiful, Karen! Me, I'm always rooting for the prey species.

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  5. Hi Karen, sorry it's taken so long for me to get to reading all the poetry on The Bus!
    This is a really eerie poem in the nicest possible way! You've created a great atmosphere
    My favourite line has to be

    "I suppose God must love even cagey things"

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  6. The neighbor’s carefree, careless child.
    I suppose God must love even cagey things,

    those two lines stood out for me. The whole poem hung together very well, tight and compact. Good work.

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  7. Is that a coyote on a trail cam? We haven't had ours out yet. We're getting lazy.

    I liked this poem. Dark and threatening, yet in a way, sympathetic towards the darkness. Maybe we aren't so different from that which walks there.

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  8. this is great with its hint of eerie looming. have a wonderful weekend.

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  9. jack - Thank you. I've been looking at your beautiful artwork, evocative of that wonderful city. Great talent there!

    Linda - Hi, Linda. Thank you much!

    Sandra - Predator and prey. I think it's all a matter of perspective. Thanks.

    Niamh B - Thank you!

    Rachel - As I said to Sandra, sometimes it's hard to know which is which.

    Gwei Mui - I haven't made it around to the Bus this week, either. Thanks for your comments.

    Dave - Thanks for your comment. The challenge is always knowing when you've said enough or too much.

    jason - It is a coyote, but I can't take credit for the trail cam. I love the last line of your comment. That's exactly what I was trying to say.

    Naquillity - Thank you!

    vickiekurt - Absolutely!

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  10. This is so beautiful and strange at the same time, Karen. And sad, and hopeful, and, yes, I must say beautiful again...

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  11. Like nature, red in tooth and claw...

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  12. The picture you paint with words is superb

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  13. I really think this is one of your best poems--I liked the lines Dave King pointed to a lot myself, & also liked the echo between "rangy" & "cagey." Really well done.

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  14. perhaps more scary than the things that go bump in the night are the things that slip through it "on silent feet"....shadows that move.

    and i love how you trace the circle here - first attracted, then locked up and carried away - predator becoming prey. god must love even cagey things - he who made the lamb, right?

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  15. I've been thinking of you this past few months as I've been working my way through Barbara Kingsolver's book _Prodigal Summer_. This poem made me think of Deanna.

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  16. Vesper - How nice it is to see you! I hope the book is going well. I have missed you! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

    jinksy - I've not heard that before, but it's certainly apt.

    John - Thank you for that! I want to tighten this up a bit yet, but I appreciate the vote of confidence.

    joaquin - I agree! Thanks for your comments on the form. I always appreciate your close readings. Tyger, too. :-)

    Jana - Nice to see you here! Did I recommend that book to you? I loved it, and this coyote makes me think of that, too, and of their "comeback." Hope you're okay.

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  17. Quackster - Sorry I missed you. Thanks!

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  18. Another awesome image! I love those cagey things. I've got a coyote who comes around my house, and I worry about him. I'm afraid a person who doesn't understand him will call animal control or kill him. I know I sound like a nitwit for worrying about a coyote, but I do...or I am:) Luckily, I don't live in an area with too many people. You've inspired me to finish my story about him, though. What a wonderful poem you have here, Karen. Send it out!

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  19. really creepy atmosphere here. It reminded me of one of my poems, here: http://jmaybury.blogspot.com/2010/05/barbaras-bus.html

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