Epitaph.
She lies a sorry sight,
tail like brush-fire,
body tyre-squashed,
reddening the road.
Stark chequered legs,
shoulders hunched
as an epitaph
to her final attempt
at swift flight
from a dragon bent
on annihilation.
Eyes arrowed
for reaching home
and needy den
in last motherly run
she spurts on
to meet breath's end.
Feeding quest
stares from this dead
female fox as
new cubs wait scared
and hungry
while some uncaring
motorist speeds
on his negligent way
and C'est la Vie
he indifferently says.
-
Author:
Fay Slimm. (
Offline) - Published: June 8th, 2018 03:06
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 69
Offline)
Comments9
How sad and how beautiful she is - even in death..... hopefully it was very quick.........
Yes a beauty even in death is the form and colour of the one we call fox. Thank you Lorna for your visit to this sad epitaph which happens too often on our busy roads.
A fine and sad write Fay. I moved a dead fox once. It was embarrassing though. I was in the country and took it into a pub and asked if they could bury it. Erm, it was a bit pongy by then!
I at least move a dead animal to the side of the road, so that it's not awfully squashed repeatedly, even though it's dead.
Yes the best we can do is to move a dead animal from more traffic abuse - thanks Orchi for your care and your comment.
Sadly i have been that driver and its a sickening event.
But too i remember one early frosty morning in the cotswolds our taxi driver stopped dead and we were all delighted to see mother fox cross the road ahead of us followed by her five beautiful cubs. Now there's a memory which will stay with me, as do the memories of those i sadly killed.
Yes when I lived in the Cotswolds a while back we got used to the number of wild animals including foxes that came to visit the garden from the surrounding countryside - - I have watched foxes on Cleve Hill with cubs happily playing around Mum and have never forgotten the lovely experience. Thanks so much for sharing the sad and the good memories after reading this Epitaph.
Very sad sight. Happens too often.
I truly agree this happens too often and would be avoided if we all took more care on the roads my friend. Thanks for your visit and comment.
Your welcome.
Sadly i have been that driver and its a sickening event.
But too i remember one early frosty morning in the cotswolds our taxi driver stopped dead and we were all delighted to see mother fox cross the road ahead of us followed by her five beautiful cubs. Now there's a memory which will stay with me, as do the memories of those i sadly killed.
Thanks for sharing & caring FAY ! We get very upset when a Friend or Family are injured or killed in a road accident but give scant concern for the hundreds of Animals & Birds who die of SPEED everyday not to mention millions of INSECTS. We cry not for the ANIMAL but the fact that our Bumper is damaged ~ have you ever hit a SHEEP ? Foxes are exceedingly beautiful but are hunted (still) and considered worthless and vermin ! I always drive slower and more careful in the countryside especially at night ! If I see "road kill" I always stop and move it respectfully to the verge ! Your poem reminded me of Pam Ayres ~ "All I see is HEDGEHOGS ~ squashed & dead & flat !" Yours as always ~ BRIAN
Yes speed is the killer and we seem to go faster with every new car - reminds me of the poem we learnt years ago - - "What is this life if full of care we have no time to stand and stare " - - today with life so busy we seem to have lost the ability to see we share this planet with other creatures.Thanks Brian for your considered and caring comment.
A touching write Fay - it sadly happens too often.
Yes all too familiar on country and urban roads is the sad sight of animal death through uncaring speed. Thanks for your read and comment Michael.
Indeed - recently on a narrow single track road out of my village a dead muntjac - how anyone went fast enough to kill him I've no idea.
Very good write, foxes are beautiful creatures and you are right about the uncaring motorists.
loved it fay
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