Zoology

Inside the People's Zoo

zoology

the animals came from all over
to see for themselves

the habitats were the finest
almost so natural
some didn't seem aware,
of their circumstance, didn't bother
to look up from the small light boxes
those devices that had ended it all for their species,
the captives barely noticed the zebra or kangaroo family passing
by the bars
or the brown bear, stopping to
study the strange antics
of one of them, a tall skinny male
as he paced, made strange sounds
speaking to the air, left hand waving,
the other holding one of their false brains
pressed against his pale face

momentarily amused
two monkeys paused at another display, drawn to the noise
hoping to catch the creatures procreating
instead, another of their light boxes
this one covering an entire wall
on it half-sized images
--- from the time where their numbers were great ---
in their silliness scurried about
kicking at a round ball
those watching cheered
and drank deeply from troughs
of beer

disinterested,
the monkeys moved on
wondering what life had been like
for the last of these crude beasts before
their rescue by the zoo





[Day #4 in my poem-a-day challenge for National Poetry Month]