Stoat

Poem by: dibbledabble

Reads: 1294 | Likes: 0 | Shelves: 0 | Comments: 13

I adore Ted Hughes and how he can sum up nature, so I wanted to try a poem in his style.

Stoat

Pure as snow and dusky pelt

Ink dipped snout and tail end

Like water in a brook you slide

Searching crevices and cracks

Where paralysed fear hides

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Veracious. Carnivorous.

Sharp black eyed stealth

You murderous dog, brutal bitch

You beautiful vermin, destructive pest

Clawed harbinger of death

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Fearless untameable jack and jill

Furiously violent, a deadly rout

Home takers, spoils of your kill

Relentless extinguishes of life

Lethal as a rattle snake bite.

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You and I are two of a kind

Men are as stoat refined

More ruthless and tenacious our attack

Cruellest by nature we set our traps

Little stoat watch your back

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Adorning kings cloaks

And academia’s hoods

Pure white, valuable as gold

Your ermine is our prize

Your life we have stole

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By Dibs

Submitted: January 02, 2012

Poetry death nature life deadly cruel stoat

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Comments

Mike Stevens

Excellent analogy; excellent poem!

Mon, January 2nd, 2012 4:48pm

Author
Reply

Most kind Mike, but did I get anywhere close to Ted Hughes? I doubt it.

Mon, January 2nd, 2012 1:23pm

Wilbur

Bravo. Elegant. Simply elegant. Clean. Styled with flair. Words scored as notes in music. Musical writing. Visceral. Visual. Elegant poem.
Many regards, Wilbur

"Stole"? A pun? Surely not?

Mon, January 2nd, 2012 4:49pm

Author
Reply

Wilbur, thank you for comments, uplifting and encouraging. As for 'stole', that would have been clever wouldn't it, but I cannot calm it is such, just a stroke of luck a happy coincidence

Regards

Dibs

Mon, January 2nd, 2012 1:29pm

sherry1

Great job Dibs! :)

Mon, January 2nd, 2012 6:03pm

Author
Reply

Thank you Sherry, much appreciated your fly by

Dibs

Mon, January 2nd, 2012 1:33pm

Nik89

Wonderful, Dibs, absolutely brilliant. I really think this piece imbued the real harsh life these animals endure. Such rhythmic eloquence sprinkled with fearless images of truth. It swelled with various characteristics of truth - sort of like a scything montage, really. Everything from the precarious nature of life, to the indifferent perspective of predators and the imperialistic callousness and disregard of humans, was epitomised in this piece.

"Relentless extinguishes of life, lethal as a rattle snake bite." Absolutely loved that line (not just because I'm absolutely terrified of snakes - I mean to the level of phobia madness that compels me to scream like a little girl when I see them on the TV) but it was a cruel juxtaposition of literature - beauty in the breath of life, and ugliness wrought in snapping jaws.

I was talking to my brother a few weeks back when we were watching Frozen Planet (I'm a nature nerd - David Attenborough is my hero) and he said how much it would suck to be an animal at the bottom of the food chain. After reading this, it really does me make me feel for such beings.

Tue, January 3rd, 2012 2:18pm

Author
Reply

Nik, your replies are poetic themselves. You have such a wonderful vocabulary and wonderful use of adjectives. Words that trip of your tongue at 22 stick doggedly in my skull at near 50. I admire your passion in the written word. I have such hope for your future when I read how eloquent, sincere and bright you are. ‘Scything Montage’..I love that. I learn every day. This is such a wonderful place to learn from the young and old. Little pots of inspiration and knowledge in the most unexpected places. Your words are so very much appreciated, especially today when we are 2 - 0 down at Main Rd!

Tue, January 3rd, 2012 12:58pm

divyansh

nice one though i didn't understood what a stoat is but according to your description of the creature i have figured that it is a white colored creature but the tails end is black. it has long teeth and black eyes. it is fearless, quick and clever and is a carnivorous.
please tell me that to how much extent i am right..................

Tue, January 3rd, 2012 3:12pm

Author
Reply

Now let’s see, a Stoat is a sort of Weasel, Native you Europe, Russia and North America. In America they are known as Short Tail Weasels. In the North where winter is harshest the Stoat changes its fur (Ermine) to white, from a dusky brown. You are correct in your assertions about its predators attributes. It is a rodent, but its jaws and teeth are more cat like. You would be wise to handle one with care. Its fur, particularly when white is very sort after and due to their aggressive nature hard to come by. The Stoat is the epitome of the beauty and cruelty of nature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoat

Tue, January 3rd, 2012 1:14pm

attanasio

Whoa, what poetic grace and insight. You would make Hughes very proud with your emulation!

Well done my friend!

Tue, January 3rd, 2012 6:02pm

bobthebuilder

You impressed me with this piece, it's well written and intelligent. If I was a stoat, I surely would gloat, cause this gets my vote. But I would hide near the moat, I don't want to be a coat!

Fri, January 6th, 2012 4:28am

Author
Reply

thanks Bob, I thought you would pop by sooner or later. This 'Ted Hughes' subject and hopefully style, has been well recieved, so I am well happy with that.

I could have replied in rhyme, but It would have taken time to think of the sublime line to make my responce read fine.

Darn it! Look what you made me done did!

Dibs

Thu, January 5th, 2012 11:25pm

THEBLACK

wow!!!!
this is just too awesomeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you are so much talented!!!!!!!!!!1
god...this is so beautiful!!!!!
glad i read it.....
sorry couldnt comment earlier....was in a hurry...
hope u wont mind!
god bless u a lot...as much as he can... ^=^

Fri, January 6th, 2012 3:21pm

Author
Reply

No I don't mind. It's nice you did read it and leave your comment. Pleased you like it. I am writing a short story now inspired by your poem about mother earth.

Peace to you

Dibs

Fri, January 6th, 2012 7:58am

moonphish

this is very cool....love the fact this creature is known by so many names

Mon, January 9th, 2012 4:49pm

Author
Reply

Moonphish, thank you for your 'cool' comment. Yes this little rodent has cousins all over the globe.

Peace and contentment

Dibs

Mon, January 9th, 2012 12:43pm

BITSxOFxKINKY

what a wonderful descriptive poem you captured this animals spirit so well ...but beneath the wording i sense another deeper meaning :)

Sun, January 22nd, 2012 4:52pm

Author
Reply

you are kind, one of my favourite poets is the late poet laurete Ted Hughes, he wrote the most wonderful poems about the natural world around the British Isles. This was an attempt at writing in his style. It requires more than just an understanding of the subject, but the relationship between its habitat and the relationship with man. I believe this is what you mean by a deeper meaning. So often we are the protectors of these creatures but their nemisis too.

Thank you for the read and good luck with your publishing here at Booksie

Regards

Dibs

Sun, January 22nd, 2012 12:32pm

Irwinagain

Set yourself a task here - Ted Hughes? Well you did a brilliant job, very well structured and some nice metaphors and similes, a very competent effort. I like Ted Hughes, especially 'Pike'.

Fri, January 27th, 2012 10:58am

Author
Reply

Irwin, thank you for your comments. And hello to a fellow Ted Hughes fan. Yes Pike is wonderful, it reminds me so much of when I was a boy fishing the Thames, Avon and the local gravel pits for that most bold of fish. I also love 'Brook Trout' A very short poem but the essence of the fish captured as only Ted Hughes could.

Warm regards

Dibs

Fri, January 27th, 2012 10:07am