Mark Martin Poet Verse

Tribute To Earthworm Dave

For the past half billion years
They crawled the earth both soil and sphere
Million trillion unknown souls
To eat and breed their only goal
Homme or femme hermaphrodite
In pairs romance 'neath damp moonlight

Throughout the year they dig and toil
By the billions aerate soil
Breaking down organic matter
A major fertilising factor
Unseen, unheard, unsung dirt hero
Eco workers far from zero

Brought to surface by rainwater
Exposes them to blackbird slaughter
Toad and fox and rat and mole
Darwin's bloodbath takes its toll
Under ploughshare countless die
Modern farming genocide

Then one decides to grow and grow
Survives the hedgehog and the crow
Point four a metre - foot and three
With mass an ounce a bit weighty
Record breaking - caused a rave
And someone thought to call him Dave

His gift to science sealed his doom
Humanely killed - a glass jar tomb
Cardboard headstone with his name
Immortalised - the cost of fame
Twitter whitter - late to save
Anthropomorphised earthworm Dave



Based on BBC news article "Widnes worm Dave wriggles into record books"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37861928

With help from Wikipedia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthworm

Written 4th November 2016

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Bartholomew Williams March 8, 2017 at 8:20 PM Mark, I congratulate you on creatively handling a very down-to-earth topic. Way to go!! Also, thank you for your kind and supportive comments on my poem, "Fear." All my best, Bartholomew :) Mark Martin March 9, 2017 at 10:53 AM Thanks Bartholomew! :-)

Rob Carmack March 7, 2017 at 11:32 PM Not only Dave's death, but the tragedy of me being the first comment on this poem. I love this and followed the links to learn more about Dave. Congrats Mark. Mark Martin March 8, 2017 at 11:24 AM Thanks Rob! Watched the news item on TV and couldn't resist penning a poetic tribute. And thanks for running the contest. All the best! Mark :-)