Animal Parley

Animals
from Pixabay

A poem of imagined conversations
between rival animals
By Father John R. Green

Shown with his blessing

"What would you think if you could thunk."
Asked the haughty Mink of the Repulsive Skunk.
"I would thunk if I could think,
How to trap a despicable mink."

"What is mine should be mine,"
Cried the nervous Gazelle to the hungry Lion.
"If what is yours is not my meat,
How then will I, King of the Jungle, eat?"

"I do not care, Lion, to grace your jaws,
Much less my neck to feel your paws.
If you were only a vegetarian,
You might become an Octogenarian."

"If you value the safety of your nose,
Far from me you will repose,"
Snarled the alley Cat to the grizzly Dog,
Appearing suddenly out of the fog.

"How smart with your trunk you think you are,"
Snarled the brown Camel to the Elephant circus star.
"I, water, on you Camel can dump,"
But Elephant you have no water hump."

"Look up to me you little runt,"
Sneered the proud giraffe, long on the hunt.
"You see yon tree so mighty and tall,
I, Monkey, will look down on your skull."

"Why don't you behave like an Ox?"
Cried the frightened Rabbit to the sly Fox.
"If I behaved like an Ox,
I soon would be lying in a box."

"Darling of millions try match my speed,"
Taunted the arrogant Cheetah to the Deer with a lead.
"Without your speed what would you be?"
Chortled the Deer with room to flee.

"Come under the fence and play with me,"
Cried the howling Wolf to Lambs three.
"Nay," bleated the Lambs, "in here we are able,
To keep from becoming meat on your table."

"Beaver, Beaver, you have built a dam,
Come now with me and have fresh ham,"
Shouted the Tiger with the fiery eyes,
To the fury worker, who ignored his cries.

"To give some milk is all you are worth,"
Growled the Grizzly Bear to the Cow on the earth.
"Well, I, Cow, give milk the whole year round,
While you, Bear,
lie sleeping three months on the ground."

"Donkey, you are a stupid Ass,"
Belittled the Black Panther at the Pass.
"Ass I may be, but friends I can claim,
But you, Panther, no fond neighbor can name."

"Weasel, Weasel, why don't you get lost?"
Snorted the Horse, as his mane he tossed.
"I won't disappear, but I will watch you hop,
When, smart Horse, you hear me pop."

Now animal rivals are not the wittiest,
But you see it is the survival of the fittiest.
When hungry, fury creatures chance to meet,
You will hear talk of scorn and meat.