“Soldiers Put to Death”–an elegy

Miscellaneous Inanities

Oh, Army Worm, for years you serve the corps,
You’ll be repaid with poison that they’ll pour.
And Soldier Ant, although you serve the State,
One day they’ll point and say, “Exterminate!”
Insignia you wear on valiant chests
Will not deter those branding you as pests.
An officer will enter and salute
With orders saying only, “Execute.”
And once you’re through with gruesome dying gags,
There’ll be no burial, no folded flags.
Courageous ants and worms, your fate is clear:
You set the date when choosing your career.

As much as I would like to claim some profound meaning for this poem, I must insist that it simply is–as it appears to be–an odd word game combining animal names, pest control-related concepts, and military terms.

–Paul

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“Two Deaths”

“The Death of a Bee”
While slowly closed the automatic door,
A bee remained between it and the floor.
No warning sign inside his head had flashed.
Without alarm, he stayed and soon was smashed.

“The Death of a Spider Mite”
With light and careful touch, I gently steered
A spider mite—who in my book appeared—
Towards the door and thought he’d safely fled
…Until I saw the page was streaked with red.

[2 poems by Paul Burgess; posted previously as part of the following entry:

3 Nature Poems by Paul Burgess

“Dr. Bug and the Skunk Man Read Steinbeck While Stopping at a Mole Hole on the Way to Church”

“[They call me] Dr. Bug”
A chemist invented some drugs
For transforming his foes into bugs.
Some exist now as bees,
While others, as fleas,
Are residing on dogs and in rugs.

“Skunk Man”
Once, after becoming quite drunk,
A man returned home with a skunk.
His wife said it could stay
But she sent him away
Because of the way that he stunk.

“Moose Man” or “Of Moose and Men”
There’s a man who resides in a spruce
Who surely has a screw or two loose.
He smashes his toes,
Puts pins in his nose,
And often pretends he’s a moose.

“The Mole Hole”
A young lady has got her a mole
that spends all its life near a hole.
I’ve seen it before,
Around her backdoor,
When I helped with installing a pole.

“A Sheepish Boy, or a Pastor and his Flock”
An old shepherd attempted to keep
A boy who resembled a sheep.
The boy was so sad
‘til seeing his dad
Who’d come to correct that old creep.

5 limericks by Paul Burgess [an animal-themed edition of “5 Limericks a Day”]

“Praying Mantis Mating” by Paul Burgess

“Praying Mantis Mating”*
A praying mantis says, “The sex was great!”
The womantis nods before she grabs her plate.

*The female praying mantis often eats her mate after they have finished engaging in reproductive acts.

3 Nature Poems by Paul Burgess

Below you will see what happens when a hack writes doggerel about everything he sees…

“The Death of a Bee”
While slowly closed the automatic door,
A bee remained between it and the floor.
No warning sign inside his head had flashed.
Without alarm, he stayed and soon was smashed.

“The Death of a Spider Mite”
With light and careful touch, I gently steered
A spider mite—who in my book appeared—
Towards the door and thought he’d safely fled…
…Until I saw the page all streaked with red.

“Retail Store Rafter Ecosystem”
Wal-Mart’s the store that sparrows like the best…
Between its rafters, many build a nest.

Immortal Wisdom in Deathless Verse by Dr. Burgess [Epigrams] #5

“Expectations [Not Working with What IS]”

When clinging hard to “should” and “shouldn’t be’s,”
We’re trapped as insects glued by sap to trees.