An Old Bull Dies Poem by Terry Dawson
An Old Bull Dies
In the month of October
As dry as dust
The elephants wait
For the rain that must
Descend from the heavens
In life-giving pall
When a million drops
Of mercy fall.
But the drought is a harsh one;
The vision is blured
And the dry takes a toll
On the elephant herd.
So a rugged old bull
In thirsting's grim thrall
Will answer the beckon
Of the wild's last call.
Thanks Bri for taking the trouble to air your missgivings, which barring my spelling mistakes, largely mirror my own on this poem. Pall, I have it in my mind can also mean curtain or hanging cloth and such, though it is a secondary meaning? I may be wrong. Rain in Africa often has the appearance of a curtain. In my neck of the woods (Zimbabwe) the rhyme is good :) .
2 - " thrall" i guess: " a state of servitude or submission" ? I don't find " beckon" as a noun i suggest using " beckoning" (adjective) like this to maintain your rhyme : “Will answer the beckoning voice Of the wild's last call.” Despite my ‘suggestions’, I send this to MyPoemList & may share it with others. Bri :)
1 – " pall" ...i don't think it is pronounced quite like " fall" , and i don't find** a meaning which i think will fit your poem. ** ok, maybe this meaning: " something that covers or conceals especially: an overspreading element that produces an effect of gloom" like dark rain clouds? ? " vision is blured" try " blurred" " vision" here means what?
1 – " pall" ...i don't think it is pronounced quite like " fall" , and i don't find** a meaning which i think will fit your poem. ** ok, maybe this meaning: " something that covers or conceals especially: an overspreading element that produces an effect of gloom" like dark rain clouds? ? " vision is blured" try " blurred" " vision" here means what?
A very touching write with the complementary picture.Life's harsh reality has been expressed so beautifully.
Oh... I forgot to mention that I have a poem called " Be a Bull" . You might like it. Thanks.
Very sad, but life will go on for the rest of the herd, I am reading this poem because it was " showcased" by Bri Edwards. Thanks for posting.
On to, The vision is blurred, this was a bit of a make fit line, but I came to like it in time because a few possible secondary meanings, or metaphoric meanings occured to me. You are right about beckoning! :)
On thrall, what I mean to say is the bull is in the grip of his adversity.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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12/6/2025 7:01:59 AM # 1.0.0
I have in mind that pall can mean curtain or drape,5hough it is a secondary meeting. May be wrong? Here (in Zimbabwe) the rhyme is good :) .