it was a light and freezing day
as i wandered onto the ice
delirious, dizzy and reeling in
some fish, all tasty and nice
i saw a sanguine penguin
waddling, flirtatiously
it came and gazed unto my eyes
and hopped onto my knee
it was a moment beyond preconception
as her little arms did flutter
my beating heart was throbbing hard
as little sounds she uttered
i was about to grab her
and stab her with a fork
to punctuate her feathered soul
to sautee here with pork
when in wandered a tall and slender man
dark eyed and nostrils flaring
he lassood her with a golden rope
and rescued her with daring
he turned and strode across the ice
with the penguin on his arm
i watched, as they wandered onwards
into the evening calm
and crimson streaked across the sky
like my bereft and bleeding heart
while the penguin thumbed its nose at me
and said "piss off, old fart"
my tears were hot and sizzled deep
in the cracking, crumbling snow
my feet crunched in the frozen ice
it was time to turn, and go.

from The Rhyme of the Ancient Marinator.

ps, send $5 for penguin recipes, c/o
freda underhill, mudcat cafe.