A Humble E. Coli

[Stephen Whiteside]

There are many poems written about the mountain cattlemen. This one is written from a fresh cow pat...I mean perspective.


A Humble E. Coli

© Stephen Whiteside 30.06.2012

I’m a humble E. coli. I’m destined to die
Alone on this pat in the bush where I lie.
I’ve spent all my time in the guts of a cow,
And life was a party, but look at me now.
I’m not quite alone. There are millions like me,
And we’re all gonna die, ’cause it’s too dry, you see.
We thrive on the moisture. We thrive on the heat,
But here in this breeze, on this hill-side, we’re beat.
The men bring the cows to the mountains each year,
And this death is ev’ry bacterium’s fear.
At least if we’d died in the valley below
We would rest in the civilised world that we know,
But here, God-forsaken, my shrivelled-up shell,
Though closer to Heaven, will end up in Hell.
I’m a humble E. coli. Oh, hear my last plea,
And share in my grief and my deep misery.
Though just an E. coli, I know I’m unique.
You can tell by the lilt in my voice when I speak,
But raise your fair chin, wipe the tear from your eye,
For thus is Life’s cycle. Farewell, then. Good-bye.

[Mal McLean]

Oh yes...laughed out loud.

[Dave Smith]

The mind boggles, Ya spend ya whole life in a cows gut just to die in the s***.

TTFN

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thanks Mal, Dave.

[Ron]

A good laugh there Stephen, enjoyed it.
Could just imagine someone like Pete Denahy doing that in song.
Ron.

[Stephen Whiteside]

Like his bee, eh? Thanks, Ron.

[Dennis N O'Brien]

Save the whales? What about "Save the E. Coli". There's a lot of size-ism about.
Thanks for raising awareness Stephen.

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thanks, Dennis.