Poem 76

This all took place somewhat unexpectedly on the field of Miramar Central Primary … the more I think about it the more I wonder if the poodle in question was Lucy, later the subject of online doco Who Killed Lucy The Poodle? investigating murky events on the day ‘a group of circus lions escaped from their cage in Rotorua after mauling a poodle to death’ … 

( I like both descriptions of the lions – swimmers in a bath tub and the jammed prowl of dull gold silk … )

The Circus!

The four lions pace in their wagon
heads overlapping flanks swimmers tumble turning
in a bath tub

the elephant scribes her chained circle
unscrewing knots of grass
from the school field

surprising
beside pettish monkeys the hunched hoodlum baboon
this cage of poodles

bright oil drop eyes
between bars
and black curls

we look over again to the lions' wagon
the jammed prowl
of dull gold silk

you're about to say it's not right
and I'm ready to reply
  in the wild
they wouldn't live as long

       when this poodle spins up
       and prances
       perfect on front paws
       for only the afternoon audience
       of me and you