About To Die Poem by Kim Barney
About To Die
You're a yellow-bellied marmot
peacefully eating in the meadow
when suddenly you are startled
by the presence of a hungry
carnivore and you realize
that you will not survive.
My brothers and everyone
else in my small town and
county used to call you and
your family "rock chucks".
We didn't learn until years
later that your official name
was "yellow-bellied marmot".
I still like "rock chuck" better.
I could call you "Rock" for short
or I could call you "Chuck",
but I can't imagine anyone would
like to be called "Yellow-Bellied".
Anyway, I hate to ramble on; I
know you're rather busy right
now, but I have a question to ask.
That creature that's about to make
you his supper, the source where
I got the picture says he is a fox,
but he looks more like a coyote
to me. If you have time to decide,
please tell me: which one is it?
Doug, thanks for commenting. The tail probably would be a real giveaway, wouldn't it?
Kim, how foolish of US to have not thought of a Tibetan Sand Fox, as you state in a comment belwo. : ) Except in zoos, I think I've only seen the 'American' Red Fox and Gray Fox. : )
Damn, it looks like a coyote, not fox, to me as well, Kim. I 'hate' when I search online for an image and not all photos are what they are supposed to be. Hmph.
Attention, Everyone! I received a private e-mail from a distinguished veterinarian who says it is indeed a fox, but not one that is found in North America. This is a Tibetan Sand Fox, and this picture won awards for the photographer. You can find the story on the Internet.
I think you know the difference between a fox and a coyote! Thanks for commenting!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/3/2024 9:04:54 PM # 1.0.0.1119
That might be what ate 2 rabbits in my yard and left the guts. Yuk! The 7 circling buzzards came a day too early and missed them.
Thanks for the comment, Spock. Sorry about the guts. So what do you think? Fox or coyote?