The Cleanup Crew
And as it is for spring flowers, so it is for us.”
Daniel Abraham, The Price of Spring
A dead doe, belly up, udders showing
Under a tree in an ocean of grass
Half mile away a herd of deer grazing
Silently mourning what has come to pass
Overhead the morning sun burning bright
Cerulean clear skies spotless quite unreal
Buzzards suddenly appear black as night
Soaring hov’ring eyeing their midday meal
In the prairie grass vermin are hiding
Waiting to be invited to the feast
But fearful of the big black birds circling
Anticipating, brows furrowed and creased
A dozen birds converge on the carcass
And tear the flesh off the bone hungrily
Then satisfied they rested in the grass
Cue for the vermin to move in quickly
The vermin scampered for whatever’s left
No need to squabble for there was plenty
Yet they chomped nibbled gnawed and didn’t rest
Until all the bones looked white and dainty
Hunger gratified the vermin withdrew
But the flies gnats microbes all stayed behind
World’s best environmental clean-up crew
Terrific! no better crew comes to mind
By evenfall, the world back to normal
Buzzards vermin insects microbes all gone
The crickets singing, their sound infernal
But for the white bones, day’s events begone
Epilogue
That same night on the edge of the forest
The herd of deer welcomed a newborn doe
A great event, all is well, they are blest
They slept soundly ready for tomorrow
10-16-2022
© Vic Evora
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