 |
| Female Pea hen at Middleton Plantation, SC, photo by Margaret Bedner from her prompt at Imaginary Garden with Real Toads. |
Lust found her walking in the
garden as
She did every day at half past dinner.
He waited until she strayed from
her friends
To peck and swallow bugs and cluck
alone.
His plumage blossomed in front of
her and
Then he turned to show how he was
shaking.
Call
me Hades he whispered and I will
Call
you Persephone. Let me touch you—
O,
please don’t call your mother!
And he pounced.
In a matter of seconds, they were
gone
About their business, no longer
shaking
But stepping and walking, slower,
taller.
Watching from a second story window
I shrieked RAPE! a second too late and
wept.
But she glanced back at his beauty
as if
his ambush suited her, he was
welcome.
Love became her strut and singing
gladness
as she tasted bounty in the garden.
 |
| Male Indian Peacock on display. The elongated upper tail coverts make up the train of the Indian peacock. |
Written for Margaret's Play It Again, Toads #2 a Imaginary Garden with Real Toads for which I chose to redo Fireblossom's "Lights, Camera, Love!" which is HERE. Re-posted for
Poets United Poetry Pantry #193.
Copyright © 2014 S.L.Chast
Hiya Susan....I enjoyed your choice of narrators here and dancing of the birds in their common place ceremony. I found it intriguing that you put the "observer" in this poem to label the act as rape. Though, on the first reading, that part seemed out of place and took me from the satire and dance of the birds, upon a second reading, I picked up on the commentary you were layering into the piece. Not everything can been seen through the lense of understanding which we have. thanks for sharing!!! and viva la
ReplyDeleteWhat a story.. could be a fable almost.. it's not always what it seems...
ReplyDeleteits all perception eh? and as bystanders or observers what we see may not be what we think...
ReplyDeletesomething important to keep in mind...in life.
What to you is Rape looks differently to hen - pleasing strut & welcoming ambush ~ The ways of the birds (& animals) are different from us & from your title, relative depends a lot from where one is ~
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this one Susan ~ Happy Sunday ~
Oh, now THIS kind of love story I can totally get behind, cackle......love it!
ReplyDeleteYeah...Relativity is perfect....
ReplyDeleteBut she glanced back at his beauty as if
ReplyDeletehis ambush suited her...
These are such telling lines, and relate to both the world of birds and men. The convolutions of attraction are often times fathomless.
Love, love this!
ReplyDeleteall strut and cackle until the pounce. I like the shifting narrator, how you show different perspectives ~
ReplyDeleteTitled well...I enjoy all of the perspectives you brought to this piece, Susan!
ReplyDeleteHa, it seems one cannot always judge by what one sees. It is how the other feels that counts! (Oh, and aren't peacocks beautiful birds?)
ReplyDeleteThis made me smile, Susan. = )
ReplyDeletewonderful take on theme Susan... using the birds was brilliant...
ReplyDeleteRelativity is an apt title. Forced and wanton copulation in humans is rape while it's often the normal in many other species.
ReplyDeleteSeems like love is straightforward amongst the peacocks, at least. Cackle. I loved the observer's horror, made me smile.
ReplyDeleteha - relativity for sure - things don't always seem what they look like on first glance... a lesson to learn..
ReplyDeleteVery unexpected ending, Susan! I wonder whether this is really what takes place between birds.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! A well written piece. Bravo Susan!
ReplyDeleteZQ
What a wonderful imagination....
ReplyDelete