First signs of dawn and the old rooster stirred from his perch to welcome a new day after his night's rest. The sun's rays just flickering over the horizon as the cock left the coop as night lost morning's battle and scuttled away. Just as he was about to crow a welcome to the sun he sensed a movement by the fence and cocked his head then purposefully strode down to investigate catching sight of a snake trying to break open the shell of an egg laid by one of the hens the previous day. The snake looked up, rattled its tail while the cock straightened up and ruffled its feathers to look bigger. Forgetting all caution the cock stretched his height to the fullest and strode forward to combat the snake. The snake hissed, cock pecked to grab hold of the snake's tail and shook it throwing on the ground. The snake desperate to find a hole slithered away but when the cock followed the snake turned and struck the cock with its fangs and the two tussled squawking and hissing rousing the hens who came out to see what all the fuss was about. The snake mortally wounded writhed on the ground whilst the cock bitten staggered around the pen and collapsed while the hens looked on.
Snake hissed feathers flew
As cock defended the hens
Chicks would hear the tale
Image of tattoo design found at www.samphillips.co.nz
I really like this change of form Old Egg - reads effortlessly and feels like an age old fable
ReplyDeleteIn agreement with Jae, I felt like I was reading a fable. A barnyard tale, to be sure. Those chicks will be hearing about it forever, the way some of the hens cluck on.
ReplyDeleteI like everything about this from the words, the message and the format. Bril!
ReplyDeleteKeith's Ramblings
Yes...it does read like a fable, albeit a violent one!! I adore the last line. It made me smile as I could just imagine no chick would go without hearing about it ;-)
ReplyDeleteI like this too, Old Egg... although it isn't the kind of morning I prefer!
ReplyDeleteWonderful unfolding of that tale the chicks will hear forever. What a change-up for you,
DeleteElizabeth
Loved your haibun ... brilliantly written and reminds me too of a fable! Bravo! Bastet
ReplyDelete