scavenger coyotes crave carrion
gobbling down roadkill of which they are fond
they will eat anything crawling, stumbling, dead or alive
just saw of pack of them, I think there were five
jackals are like their cousins the coyotes too
except they also eat berries, they especially like blue
In the shadowed field, the night breaks
into a cacophony of cries, sharp and piercing.
A pack of coyotes, voices tangled in hunger and triumph,
sings a chilling lullaby in the darkness.
Their song, a harbinger of life meeting its end,
echoes through our open bedroom window,
a reminder of the wildness that prowls
just beyond the reach of our porch light.
Somewhere, beyond our sight, a deer perhaps wandered too far,
its fate now woven into the coyotes’ cry.
And we, from our bedroom window, listen—
a silent vigil, bearing witness to the cycle
unfolding in the back field where shadows play.
midnight once again
just the sound of coyotes
keep her company
The moon sitting up there so high.
its light fills the sky
Making me feel so small
Somewhere I can hear a coyote call
I see a star as it starts its fall
A night
So bright
So peaceful here under the moon light
Another shooting star
Up there in the sky so far
I look around
Hearing so many a sound
An owl cries out.
who, who , can hear his shout
So much to see
Sets my heart free
Hear the wind pushing its way through the trees
As I'm sitting here resting my knees
Feeling my heart as it steadily beats
Sometimes life gives us simple treats
So far can I see
Yonder past that tree
A deer gives me the eye
Then sniffs the sky
Grunts its good bye
Off it goes
One of natures little shows
In the distance I see some light
But it's alright
Just the ending of the night
When shadows fall across embattled land
Dusk creeps slowly westward over the plains
Comes a-wailing, howling of the coyotes
Searching for prey among the dry creek runs
Thirsty animals, like humans, take risks
Seek out the sweet nectar of the rainclouds
Potable water, life’s necessity.
This cracked earth, barren of tillable soil
Given for our homeland--great Sioux nation
And Lakota--once land of thunderbeasts!
Our land carved from brokenness and hardship
For generations we courageously fought.
We will never surrender one acre
To greedy Eastern oil-hungry barons
Not one dried-up ditch for a leaden pipe
Winding across our sacred tear-stained soil.
July 8, 2022
Submitted to "2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 7" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Mark Toney
Written/Edited June 13, 2022
Submitted to "Creatures of the Night" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Julia Ward
Around our neighborhood coyotes stalk,
Looking for helpless newborn animals
Count them among unwanted cannibals
Be aware when taking your evening walk;
Danger for older folks who stand and gawk,
In nature, coyotes are radicals!
Lead coyote grabs his unwary prey,
And carries it back to the entire pack
Victims have no chance in such an attack.
Some neighbors are carrying pepper spray
To frighten the lead coyote away,
Nobody wants to be a coyote's snack.
Understand coyote's lethal killing game,
Our neighborhood is no longer the same.
Written March 4, 2021
Entered into HexSonnetta Contest
Sponsored by Emile Pinet
Here’s advice that we’ve received
In case we have a sighting
Of wild coyotes in the park;
The fear has been igniting.
Just raise your arms and stand up tall,
Pretending to be bigger,
For apprehension such behavior
In these beasts may trigger.
Then hopefully they’ll trot away
But if somehow they linger,
Keep pets real close but otherwise
Don’t run or lift a finger.
In Central Park you’ll likely see
A host of squirrels scurry.
A rare coyote sighting, though,
Means wave your arms and worry.
She's sat whistling
unusual?
but good
little red in the face
with a blue coat
and hood.
The big fellow with a moustache
cigarette ash on his lapel is
whistling as well.
A musical start to the day hits me
right in the heart,
this is the way that we rock.
Monday
a shock to the system and
weekends?
seems that I always missed them.
Mr green shoes
humming the Beiderbecke blues
I
know how he feels.
The lady in the corner seat
looks dead beat
fast asleep
no one disturbs her.
I'm standing as usual
and
when they say,
'all change'
I really want it to be
a game of musical chairs,
it never is though.
This tube carries my load
until I arrive at
Tottenham Court Road
and work begins.
BAND OF COYOTES
The howling of snow across bucolic roads
Coyotes constrain the neighborhood
Weather prediction — gone amok
Eight inches of white fur — piled high
Coyotes huddle over car roof and windows
At this point — forsake the bread and milk
Pushing pelts left and right, forging pathway
Steady feet shiver past dangerous breaths
Shave car, drive cautiously down the steep
Coyotes melt away...fears fall away
Warm rain eats up the remaining few
Turning the white pavement black
12/11/2017
Tristich Form
as night falls
the coyotes cry
food is scarce
10 syllables 3-4-3
7/20/2017
From day of birth a howling ghost coyote,
Ranging "Steppenwolf" of western plains,
A spineless cousin to more staid peyote,
Apex wonder drug of wild domains.
A lonesome cry expresses inner feelings,
Tempted now and then to run with pack,
Though dominance and harems are glass ceilings,
Focusing dim wit on what I lack.
First come, first serve is Nature's rule, not Darwin,
Burrow just a temporary rest,
Survival means my stomach can't be empty,
Endless sky the borders of life's test.
But kindness is a virtue I can't fathom,
Neediness is heart of daily fare,
Avoiding pain is Nature's only rhythm,
Ghost-like, when you need me, I'm not there!
Long Tooth
January 6,2016
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