What a vail title,
in my younger days
I claimed to be "The Hunter"
I thought I was, now dig this
I was in my early twenties
Returning from a rabbit hunt
With a friend, we shot a few
That day I saw a muskrat,
watched as he cross our path
Hiding into a natural drain
From about ten feet away
I must have lost my brains
Got on one knee, I looked
Into the drain, saw him there
Aimed my shotgun hastily
Shot at him, when I looked
He was on his back, shevering
as if he was freezing
No! he was in pain and dying slowly
His eyes shut tight
His litte paw like hands
Where trembling out of control
Obviously in severe pain
I felt lower then amphibian shit
I coudn't look my friend in the face
and asked him to finish him off
As I walked away in disgrace
Within a mental fog, I heard a shot
And a voice from an echoing distance
Asking me, "you want it"?
I did not answer, dismissing
the thought with a slight wave
Of my hand
That day I laid down,
My sword and shield
Vowing
Ain't going to make war no more
This moment flashed back to
On this day, 2005
From a clear blue sky
'Twas 1963 in Virginia, USA
I haven't hurt a critter since that day.
know how you feel William, I quit shotting for sport, I value all life. We as men are like God's over the lower critters. The same mercy I show the lower critters, maybe someday it will be shown to us
Ah, I understand all to well, we were taught as children, you kill it, you eat it. All life is precious, you have taught a great and powerful lesson here, excellent poem!
Been there done that and still cannot forgive myself for what I did!!
We played "Hop-scotch- on baby chicks and splatted them to death..as mother hen was chasing us. Until after my Dad took us to the bathroom...and gave a one very needed hiding...and made us pray for those chicks souls till we cried for forgiveness.
Good for you William! Not afraid to state your feelings!Excellent work...I'm always at a crossroads about hunting. I went with my brother-in law once and couldn't kill a deer. He and his group only hunt the ones they say are separated by age etc to cull the herds. So I don't know, when I see animals killed it hurts me, yet don't we all eat what someone else kills? That old niggling question is always there, everything kills to eat. Even the smallest bugs. So I guess I would specify hunt only if you need it to eat;-)uh oh , I can hear the hunters now giving me the razz...Sorry for the long comment , it's your topic William;-)!
To the readers of this piece
Me laying down my sword and going to war no more
pertains only to me personally
I am not against hunting, nor against animal control
so please enjoy what I write, I'll take all critics pro or con
A powerful testament to non-hunting, though it seems that sometimes hunting, unfortunately, may be a on a need basis...like the amount of deers NJ seems to have, better shot than run over in the road and now NJ is told that their bear population is exploding...they can even be found several hundred miles south of where they used to live...seems they are going to have another bear hunt this year...something better must be able to be done...? Ed
A book of nature inspired poems and essays, written from the heart and soul of a life-long nature, animal, and wilderness lover, and dedicated to today’s children - Earth's only hope for a better tomorrow.
This book won 'The Poetry Category'
Explore the mystery of how nature makes unexpected gifts of creative wonders to an unsuspecting caregiver one late night and early morning in southeastern Georgia, USA.
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Peace and love, Carole
We played "Hop-scotch- on baby chicks and splatted them to death..as mother hen was chasing us. Until after my Dad took us to the bathroom...and gave a one very needed hiding...and made us pray for those chicks souls till we cried for forgiveness.
Love Tinka
etw
Me laying down my sword and going to war no more
pertains only to me personally
I am not against hunting, nor against animal control
so please enjoy what I write, I'll take all critics pro or con
William ......Peace & Love