To a Coyote

You're one of God's smarter creatures My wife says you're smarter than me You can't tell it from your features You look as dumb as you can be I gave you a name yesterday Don't think you'd like it very much Can't say it out loud anyway What with women and kids and such I built a pen for my chickens It was home to my wife's layers Safe from you sure as the dickens To be sure I said my prayers Next mornin' there were no more hens I still don't know how you gottem Guess I don't know how to build pens I should shoot you in the bottom It's been like this for many years I'm fightin' and losin' the war You've cost us blood and sweat and tears An' I ain't gettin' very far I'll say my prayers for you each eve An' hope your water hole runs dry I'll pray a drought will make you leave An' you won't stop to say goodbye An' if you should have coyote kin Take them with you where you're goin' Don't leave 'em here to haunt my pen I've got buckshot I'll be throwin' July 15, 2016 For Contest "To A..", David Lindsay