The Small Beasts Of The Dark Woods Poem by Victoria Robbins

The small beasts of the dark woods
burn the throne of the tyrant bear
Tiny eyes with dark hoods
admire the glow of the fiery chair
For a moment, quiet peace
United creatures in awed silence
And then, how quick does softness cease
in lieu of loud and joyous violence
The birds call forth their raucous cries,
the mighty beasts their thundering bellows
Silhouettes with gleaming eyes
before the flickering reds and yellows
Freedom! sing the nightingales
and Triumph! croaks the wizened toad
Victorious! wave the fishes' tails
from their watery abode
Animals in darkness dancing
Even mice their quiet shuffle
And then sharp shift to nervous prancing
Tensely, fur and feathers ruffle
Heads turn, small eyes peering
ears prick up in perturbation
At the dark edge of the clearing
Is an insubordination
The fox has ordered the rabbits
and the youngest has said 'no'
He says 'If we don't break bad habits,
then, indeed, how can we grow? '
The fox tilts his head in confusion
and after a moment's thought
apologizes in profusion
'It's just what I've been taught! '
'We are equals! ' the animals growl
'and together we will fight! '
'We are equals! ' all the creatures howl
'for to live, we must unite! '
Suddenly, a sickening sound
A shot echoes through the sky
The dreaded baying of the hound
says an animal will die
The first instinct is still to flee
but shortly after that
A starling in a nearby tree
volunteers as diplomat
Great courage beats his tiny wings
and lands on the edge of the gun
says, 'Sir, we are both above such things
as brothers under the same sun.'
The hunter does not understand
although it is absurd
ever so slowly moves his hand
and no more is the bird
The animals are enraged by this
for to kill the innocent
is the foulest injustice
no matter the intent
The slash of claw, the gleam of red
a good-hearted creature avenge
A man finds his companion dead
and quickly plots his own revenge
The animals know what lies in store
and to the challenge they rise
remain united yet in war
thus prevent their own demise