The Auk

[Stephen Whiteside]

Bob wants funny poems. (Is there an international 'serious poem' week?) I don't know if this is funny, but it felt funny enough when I wrote it, and that's usually a good sign. I actually posted it on the old site. It was one of those rare poems that came to me in a flash, and didn't need to be thought about. Even though it's called 'the auk', it's actually about the extinct 'great auk' - and I don't suppose it's really bush poetry, either.

The Auk

© Stephen Whiteside 13.04.2000

There was once a bird called an auk.
It was not a bird of prey like a hawk.
It did not have long legs like a stork.
It was an auk.

It couldn’t really run, only walk,
and it probably tasted OK on a fork,
so hunters of old didn’t baulk
at killing the auk.

So now they’re extinct,
which is awk
ward.
You can’t go to the zoo for a gawk.
All we can do now is talk
about the auk.

The poor auk.

[Zondrae]

G'day Stephen,

I recall the story about the last Great Auk which was in a Readers Digest some years back. So sad that they couldn't get away from the hunters. They used to mate for life. I guess, like the Dodo, their time was up. While we, (of the present time) consider it our responsibility to try to preserve species, it seems to me the natural progression of the universe to have creatures come into their own and then pass into oblivion. I think it a blessing that we don't know how much longer 'we' have.

Sorry, this is not a funny reply.

[Heather]

Poor awk Stephen. I laughed!

Heather

[Bob Pacey]

Sounds a bit like a crow Awk Awk Awk.


You have a vivid imagination Stephen.


Bob