The Fox In The Hen Coop Poem by Daleen Enslinstrydom

The moon hangs low over the valley
and the stars flicker in the distance
while the night is cold and foggy
and this is the time
that the jackal is on the hunt

and he sneaks around the chicken coop
with a lowered back and ears risen
and wide open to catch any sound
while his coat glistens
in the silver moonlight
and his eyes glow yellow in the dark
while from his fangs
saliva drips and he is hungry
while food is scarce.

He burrows into the hen coop
and pushes his snout and body through the hole
while all of the hens are sleeping
and with severe hunger he jump for the first one,
and in frenzy he kills the chickens
when the abundance of food drives him insane
and fanatic the jackal is almost in a rage
as a bloodthirsty beast
and tries to silence the cackling of the chickens
that rings through the night

and when the farmer comes to investigate
the fox has left the coop
and there are blood and feathers everywhere
with no hen left alive

and the moon hangs low over the valley
while in the mist the jackal vanishes into the night
and the stars flicker like the last glimmer of his eyes.