Image

Along a track near the ridge a spotlight sweeps the dark until fixing a moment in a chilling stare to cracks of gunfire and voices leaving behind the glow of red tail lights collapsing into a gutted quiet.

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Jan Allison

Date: 8/20/2024 3:34:00 PM

the imagery is qbeyond chilling Paul and having read your comments its a very disturbing scenario:-( hugs jan xx

Paul Willason
Date: 8/28/2024 6:00:00 AM

Thankyou Jan for your comments...very much valued. Take care my friend, Paul Sorry for delay in reply....

Jeanette Swan

Date: 8/9/2024 6:16:00 PM

I was figuring roo/ pig...confirmed in comment replies. The raucous shooting culture shocks me more than the culling. Macquarie Island cats and rats were killed and bird homes restored. The sole park ranger would have dignity in his duty. Yet, for me too, the sudden taking of life from a creature is a serious matter, and there should at least be a reason. The verbs you used, 'sweeps, stare' and the sound of 'cracks' in the short lines makes me feel the ripping of life, and the shock of it. J

Paul Willason
Date: 8/17/2024 5:37:00 AM

Sorry for the delay in reply Jeanette, my aplogies...been somewhat disconnected. Many thanks for your thoughtful comments...agree. Culling, though necessary at times, does not dull the stark imagery or lesson the emotional impact in seeing the reality of the act. Life can be brutal...compassion makes us human. Take care my friend, Paul

Tom Cunningham

Date: 8/9/2024 12:15:00 AM

Quite a terryfying image you've created with your words Paul, makes the reader wonder what happens next. Tom

Paul Willason
Date: 8/9/2024 12:26:00 AM

Hi Tom, Comment reply to Miranda ( see below ) hopefully explains the source and the sinister and confronting tone. Regards, Paul

Miranda Hawley

Date: 8/8/2024 8:55:00 PM

Creepy and scary is all I got to say about the scene you just described.

Paul Willason
Date: 8/9/2024 12:24:00 AM

Hi Miranda...the image came out of a documentary on spotlight shooting ( culling ) which was quite confronting. Wanted to capture that horror. Thanks for reading the poem Miranda...appreciated.

Gershon Wolf

Date: 8/8/2024 6:42:00 PM

Chilling... how well you've captured the sweep of that spotlight... and the ugly aftermath of those red tail lights collapsing. ~ Gershon

Paul Willason
Date: 8/9/2024 12:20:00 AM

Appreciate your comments Gershon. The imagery suggested by a documentary on spotlight shooting which I foundnquite confronting. Warm regards my friend.