Gregory Richard Barden | + Follow Poet |
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Tusks

achingly ...
he still recalled
as if but a day hence ...
the air still moved, tender
the earth a-sole, still trembling
grasses parting like swells for a mighty prow
dust from bulky feet in diaphanous clouds ...
swept up and woven like a thin shuka
as if a Maasai blessing
to grace the hips of the coy Kilimanjaro ...
yet naught remained but the beautiful white
the echoes of the poachers' rifles
and the countless cries of a grand species, ghosted
lost to the thirsty Serengeti soil
shamed red by the rills of blood let
for a sake, sadistic ...
and the inexhaustible glut
of greed.






Submitted on November 26, 2020
To the "On Your Marks, Naturally" Poetry Contest
Julia Ward, Judge & Sponsor.

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Andrea Dietrich Date: 10/8/2020 6:30:00 PM Potent words, my friend. It's horrific what the poachers are doing to these poor endangered animals. Login to Reply

Robert Lindley Date: 10/6/2020 8:00:00 AM A marvelous poem on the malignant cancer of mankind s greed. A beautiful expression of the majesty of elephants and Nature s gift that is being savaged. Your exquisite verses sing to this old poet' s heart.. A favorite, A gem... Login to Reply

John Hamilton Date: 10/4/2020 10:25:00 AM This is poetry excellence G, a sad and haunting piece that strikes the conscience of us all (except the poachers, hideous beasts) I read somewhere recently there are so many animals going extinct at a quicker pace than before. I guess more greed equals extinction. I look forward to the day poachers are extinct! Login to Reply

John Watt Date: 10/3/2020 8:14:00 PM The whole write is a powerful statement, but I think it most stopped me in my tracks at the word "ghosted". A perfectly chosen, chilling word to depict the emptiness that remains when these beautiful, majestic animals are felled for the greed of poachers and the lust of buyers that keep the poachers in business. Login to Reply Gregory Richard Barden Date: 10/3/2020 8:29:00 PM Thank you so very kindly, John, that means a lot to me ... I have always felt a kinship to these marvelous creatures, and I pray we stop our mad havoc upon them before they're gone ... like so many other species that we've driven into extinction. They are far more intelligent and social and sensitive than we give them credit for, and we have so much we can learn from these gentle giants. I'm very glad you liked this one, Dear Poet Brother, and appreciate the comments ... I get few these days. Blessings! :-)