Max great but I did suspect when I was in Melbourne that there were some
scary things lurking around at night -or maybe it was just the feral poets?
Patrick buildingmyselfupintoafrenzytodomysnap
-----Original Message-----
From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Max Richards
Sent: 02 November 2009 20:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: The giant badgers of Basra
- stumbled on this, which amuses me much, on the website of The Australian
Rationalist, a periodical based in Melbourne...
The Giant Badgers of Basra
Damian Balassone
THE Iraqi port city of Basra, already prey to a nasty turf war between rival
militia factions, has now been gripped by a scary rumour - giant badgers are
stalking the streets by night, eating humans. The animals were allegedly
released into the area by British forces.
(The Daily Telegraph, 11 July 2007)
The Venice of the Middle East
is stricken by a plague,
Never was a pestilence
so baffling and so vague.
A swarm of vicious badgers
with razor-sharpened claws,
Is terrorising Basra streets
with avaricious jaws.
These monkey-headed badgers
have taken to the plough,
Swift as a deer, deft as dogs,
they even feast on cows.
Once the Venice of the East
and home of Sufi poets
Is now a den for carnivores
(though Old Dart would not know it).
More frightening than the Ottomans
of 1668,
More frightening than the Persians who've
been waiting at the gate.
'We did not bring the badgers!'
the British forces say,
'We're here to help the bloody cause,
we're with them all the way!'
I saw a skunk-like badger,
dressed in khaki brown
Barge its way, absurdly, to
an ancient seaport town.
It sunk its teeth into their fruits
then organised a poll,
And crowned itself a king before
returning to its hole.
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