Pet Soup Poem by Luke J. Holt

a time once it
was such indeed
a time of ill repute
upon an anxious riverbank
when winter followed suit

and gale by icy dusted gale
it pelted them with snow
and lurched a spore
into two sores
and from them came to grow
a bridge between a heaving brook
that puked the winter waste
and when the autumn made its points
the garlands clung to taste

as strong as god and strength of steel
these petaled ropes did hold
and rightly so
as trees too know
the Earth had blossomed cold

so when the vital, verdant twines
were crept upon by fade
the villagers and lovers called
the geckos on parade

upon ye storm!
and join thee, hounds!
and stave that frightened gale
join dragons at the aquaduct
and scare the winter pale

then when it is
so whitely so
and angry grows its sky
menageries will war with that
that threatens we and I

so day by vigil-blighted day
as torpid lovers baned
with civil pride for nails and scales
of geckos on parade!

and by their side
like crag made pied
by prehistoric suns
the dragon on the shampoo boat
transfigures wars to fun

and followed suit
with parachutes
that cost an arm and hand
came sandy lions who were dogs to those from distant lands

see, those who favored winter
wished our kingdom wasnt born
we pray our herds of animals
can roughen up the storm
and whilst the village feels a chill
we know August is warm
we have sent the boys off to the river
to us each they swore:

that for king and queen and country
and for all the love they bade
we will ease your freezings
we the pet soup on parade!

at the brook they met the maelstrom
hurling shoes and birthing floods
making havoc of the shoreline
wagging bridges over blood

and it warned:
you nearly froze, you fools
in my most recent wheeze
this clawed and panting army
and their king and queen shall freeze

and through a dewy leer did say
one canine to the storm:
i love my queen more than the snow
we curse your gaseous form!

in unison the beasts called out their hisses, chirps and bays
another dog
his brother dog said words akin that day:
our king is fair, much as his queen
and for their noble ease
well fight to keep the warmth and May-time shimmer in their breeze
and for this vine-made bridge we fight
that keeps close from apart
slam shut your tempest, cursed season!
let the battle start

the queen did gaze
from wracked eye lens
in fear the levee cracked
but lizard navies punctured clouds
as full as their attack

the froth of suds and wrathful tides
confused a victor clear
but neath the suds
and sheets of mud
the Winter disappeared

the king said;
look! they ve used their crests
the herds we sent and trust
to ban the cold from our fair shores
and into Gaia s crust



it took all night
O torpid night
for Winters wolves to die
and autumn peered her rueful curls
in charmed and wrought surprise

the flowers hands were cupped in prayer
and tiny soft-shoe birds
would curtsy to the king and queen
who gave the town this word:

the Winter and his anxious monsters
all will rue the day
they went to war with dragons, dogs and geckos on parade