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Armadillo Ii -- the Requiem

It was dark and dreary, and the dawn had not yet begun to break, as I walked down the steps to fetch the paper while my family slept. A hint of a breeze wafted through the trees, dawn's early light was not yet in sight. A slight movement appeared from the corner of my eye, something stirred, a slight crunching-like sound was all I heard. A cat, a small animal of sorts, hard to see, moving closer it became clear, another of those nocturnal mammals, armored carriers of that age old scourge was rooting by my tree. Back in the house and out again with light and rifle I set out to prove I was not someone with whom to be trifled. A shot in the dark went over his head, caused a sudden jerk out of the bed, he turned and glared with steely eyes and lowered his armored head, and charged straight at me as though to say, 'you're going to be dead'. With gravel flying up the drive he came like an armored freight train. A look in the eye such as I have never seen determined to chase me from the scene. The crack of the rifle, again..and then again - and he lay where he fell...with no other sound to tell. No more will this creature from the Mesolithic age destroy my lawn, but if truth be known; where there is one......another on his own, soon will come.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2011




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Date: 5/4/2012 10:00:00 AM
It's to bad they do such damage. When I went to Florida I chased one and had it in my hands but it slipped away. Would loved to have had a closer look at it. They sure are strange. You have great rhyme going on in this as I it read again! :)
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Date: 12/22/2011 10:50:00 PM
Shucks, I feel sorry for that poor thing. But that was a wonderfully wicked little twist on the end of your poem!! VEry nice writing.
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Date: 11/9/2011 9:01:00 PM
Have you been out "chootin" them lately. I wonder how they procreate with that armor and all? Wouldn't you know I would wonder about that!
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Date: 8/21/2011 7:58:00 PM
They are the new species that are taking over the plant..Enjoyed reading your work..My husband takes a day every so often and goes out at night at all hours to try to catch them out..He kills off some..They are a nuisance when one tries to have a vegetable garden or flowers..They do dig into the fireant hills though..I thought that the Tyburn would be easy but it is not..A challenge..Sara
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Date: 8/16/2011 11:18:00 AM
If he was tearing up my lawn I think I would have tried to set a trap for him and then relocated him to some other area rather than kill him for trying to survive. Good imagery here though. If see any more try doing it my way. Everything has to eat. God Bless, JB
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Richard Moriarty
Date: 8/16/2011 11:24:00 AM
Judy: I did try to set a trap earlier, he tore it up, these things weigh about 15 to 20 lbs, they are nasty, leprosy carrying creatures that literally destroy a yard...understand your feelings, but.....
Date: 8/12/2011 12:15:00 PM
OK, I forgive you, I understand some critters are just pests. Soup mail for you.
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Date: 8/12/2011 11:39:00 AM
great write!
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Date: 8/11/2011 11:21:00 PM
Oh Richard, how could you? Poor little armadillo, was he doing harm, what about his wife back home and maybe babies! Mind you, I like the verse, it was the outcome!
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Richard Moriarty
Date: 8/12/2011 7:36:00 AM
In defense of myself, Lizzy, the damage that is done by these creatures is tremendous. Not only do they root up all plants, but leave holes through the lawn as well. And in the early hours when they look for a hole to sleep in, they dig a 6 inch in diameter hole under the slab of ones house. Sorry, but they got to go, so in the words of my wife, "I choot'em".

Book: Shattered Sighs