Tale Of A Tail
- Stephen Whiteside
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Tale Of A Tail
Tale Of A Tail
© Stephen Whiteside 26.08.2011
I saw a possum tail, but I couldn't find the possum;
A brown and furry tail, with a white and curly tip.
It lay upon the tan bark underneath the wattle blossom,
And when at first I spotted it, I felt my poor heart skip.
I saw the possum screaming, and I heard the muscles tearing;
Some large, unfeeling predator was working with its teeth;
Ruthless and determined, it maintained a carefree bearing,
While the possum wriggled frantically but helplessly beneath.
It must have eaten all the bones, the guts, the furry skin,
Yet couldn't find the wherewithal to polish off the tail.
Perhaps it reached a point where nothing else would quite fit in.
Perhaps at end of day its taste buds proved a tad too frail,
Yet ox tails are quite populer, and kangaroo tails, too,
And in comparison to these, a possum tail is slight,
So why it wasn't eaten, I have not the slightest clue,
Though I must admit, I didn't want to try a single bite.
So there, I guess, you have it. It was gristly. It was bony,
And it lay there quite rejected by that fox or feral hound
Who judged that, as a piece of food, it was a total phoney -
A tail without its possum, all abandoned, on the ground.
© Stephen Whiteside 26.08.2011
I saw a possum tail, but I couldn't find the possum;
A brown and furry tail, with a white and curly tip.
It lay upon the tan bark underneath the wattle blossom,
And when at first I spotted it, I felt my poor heart skip.
I saw the possum screaming, and I heard the muscles tearing;
Some large, unfeeling predator was working with its teeth;
Ruthless and determined, it maintained a carefree bearing,
While the possum wriggled frantically but helplessly beneath.
It must have eaten all the bones, the guts, the furry skin,
Yet couldn't find the wherewithal to polish off the tail.
Perhaps it reached a point where nothing else would quite fit in.
Perhaps at end of day its taste buds proved a tad too frail,
Yet ox tails are quite populer, and kangaroo tails, too,
And in comparison to these, a possum tail is slight,
So why it wasn't eaten, I have not the slightest clue,
Though I must admit, I didn't want to try a single bite.
So there, I guess, you have it. It was gristly. It was bony,
And it lay there quite rejected by that fox or feral hound
Who judged that, as a piece of food, it was a total phoney -
A tail without its possum, all abandoned, on the ground.
Last edited by Stephen Whiteside on Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Stephen Whiteside, Australian Poet and Writer
http://www.stephenwhiteside.com.au
http://www.stephenwhiteside.com.au
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Re: Tale Of A Tail
It's a jungle out there Stephen. Well written to my knowledge. You make it look easy.
Last edited by Neville Briggs on Sat Aug 27, 2011 10:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
Neville
" Prose is description, poetry is presence " Les Murray.
" Prose is description, poetry is presence " Les Murray.
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Re: Tale Of A Tail
Perhaps the possum tail did not belong to a possum
but was merely a relic from a Davy Crockett hat.
Resurrected from an attic where for years it was forgotten
then again perhaps it may have just been from the neighbours cat.
Hate to think of a poor possum being torn apart Stephen - surely not ?????
it would have wakened the whole neighbourhood with its cries
but was merely a relic from a Davy Crockett hat.
Resurrected from an attic where for years it was forgotten
then again perhaps it may have just been from the neighbours cat.
Hate to think of a poor possum being torn apart Stephen - surely not ?????



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Re: Tale Of A Tail
It is a sad thing to witness the food chain in action, but we do enjoy the cycle of life.
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I Keep Trying
- Stephen Whiteside
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Re: Tale Of A Tail
Thanks, Neville.
I don't know, Maureen. The only other explanation I can think of is that possums drop their tails, like lizards, but I don't think they do, do they? I've never heard of it. Admittedly the ground was not especially scuffed up, as you would expect, but I can't think of any other explanation. I've seen possum tails lying by themselves several times now. It's not as though you can go to the supermarket and buy a dozen frozen possum tails. They're always ring tails, too, never brush tails - at least I can't remember any.
I don't know, Maureen. The only other explanation I can think of is that possums drop their tails, like lizards, but I don't think they do, do they? I've never heard of it. Admittedly the ground was not especially scuffed up, as you would expect, but I can't think of any other explanation. I've seen possum tails lying by themselves several times now. It's not as though you can go to the supermarket and buy a dozen frozen possum tails. They're always ring tails, too, never brush tails - at least I can't remember any.
Stephen Whiteside, Australian Poet and Writer
http://www.stephenwhiteside.com.au
http://www.stephenwhiteside.com.au
Re: Tale Of A Tail
Ring tails Possums are a cute creature but the world being as it is the culprit would most likely be an frog mouth owl most likely, and both Ringtail possums and owls are nocternal and both live in your area. OR A FLAMMIN CAT
Bill Williams
Bill Williams
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Re: Tale Of A Tail
Very interesting, William. Thanks. I never thought about owls, and I completely forgot about cats!
Stephen Whiteside, Australian Poet and Writer
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http://www.stephenwhiteside.com.au
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Re: Tale Of A Tail
Like the poem Stephen and congratulations for having your work featured on Macca's Australia All Over radio show!
Vic Jefferies
Vic Jefferies
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Re: Tale Of A Tail
Ah, did I, Vic? I didn't know, but I did wonder. Thanks.
Stephen Whiteside, Australian Poet and Writer
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http://www.stephenwhiteside.com.au
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Re: Tale Of A Tail
Hey Bill...correct me if I'm wrong...(I'm sure someone will), a tawny frogmouth is not an owl...is that the bird you refferred to? I used to think they were too, but the owner of a bird and repltile park told me I was....barking up the wrong tree...
...if you get my drift.

Ross