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A PIGEON'S LAMENT (I.P.)

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Published by Linda Wigzell Cress on July 9, 2012 - 16:10
from the ABC set POETRY

I wish I was an eagle
Flying high up in the sky;
Swooping low on snowy mountains
Watching rivers flowing by.
With claws as big as garden rakes
I’d trap my juicy prey;
Such a stir I’d always make;
The crowd would point and say:

‘Look at that lovely creature
Such a fine and handsome thing!
Such kingly head, bejewelled eyes:
So strong, and swift of wing!’
But I’m not a golden eagle
Wise owl, nor noble hawk.
And no-one wants to know me,
Bobbing head and funny walk.

I am just a scruffy pigeon:
They all say I’ve got fleas;
And no-one cares or likes me.
Though I try so hard to please!
On buildings I’m not welcome –
They put strong drugs in my food –
I have no home nor young ones
I can’t even raise a brood!

I just sit here feeling lonely
Watching London going by,
And I’ll chat with poor old Nelson:
He too’s only got one eye!
So next time you see a pigeon
Looking sadly up at you;
Don't think him bad, or dirty –
He’s God’s own creature, too.

Discuss this piece in the abctales forum


Comments

Cavalcaderl | July 9, 2012 - 16:30

new Linda WigzelCress
Hi! Linda. Good one too for the (IP)
The words and the way makde stanzas flow,
every line,explains the pigeon. So clear!
Blow me just seen two,pecking on the pavement,not seen any years! Say they are lucky! mess.
God's own creature like that.
julie x

.

Linda Wigzell Cress | July 9, 2012 - 16:35

Thanks Julie. I'm a Londoner and quite like the little fellas myself!
Linda

lavadis | July 9, 2012 - 17:51

Fun work - made me smile

Silver Spun Sand | July 9, 2012 - 19:04

Nice one, Linda;-)

Tina

Denzella | July 9, 2012 - 21:00

Smashing Linda,

Really liked this and I feel very sorry for the pigeons you describe. Almost makes me sorry that in my poem my one got shot but then his behaviour was unbecoming and I felt justified.

Enjoyed as expected.

Moya

Linda Wigzell Cress | July 9, 2012 - 21:12

Thanks Moya. Dont fret about your pigeon. He was a bit of a rogue and was bound to come to grief. But at least his life had a purpose - filling the space under a nice pie crust!
Linda

Linda Wigzell Cress | July 10, 2012 - 18:11

Hi Tina and lavadis, thanks for reading and taking time to comment. Glad you enjoyed it.
Linda

sue dinum | July 10, 2012 - 21:36

Well done, Linda. This is a proper poem with a consistent rhyming metre. I think these are the hardest to do and keep natural and you have done it in the best tradition of writers of verse. Really enjoyed, and yet another affectionate look at those plump head-bobbers we all (well, maybe not all) love so much. I think it was Tina who started this pigeon extravaganza, so I blame her.

Trev

Linda Wigzell Cress | July 11, 2012 - 07:20

Thanks Trev especially for comments about the poems structure, I do worry that I may sacrifice 'art' in favour of technicality and try hard to make it flow. As for those birds, being a London gal I often fed the pigeons in Trafalgar square and wondered why people shunned them (my husband hates them). When writing this I remembered as a child taking an injured pigeon to the vet then to my Mums horror coming back with two! hope they didnt end up in a pie!
Linda