Animal Crackers(Tankas) Poem by Dónall Dempsey

NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING

Even the lion’s roar
doesn’t waken the sleepy child
its snores much louder
hung over mother’s shoulder
dreaming of scary monsters.

MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO

Ha! Cheeky monkey
snatches snazzy mobile phone
mimicking a call
takes its own picture frightened
by flash then...hands it back.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Child torn from Mum’s arms
small head smashed against bare wall
Dad violently rapes Mum.
Spectators look on at Zoo
frightened by big baboon.

LITTLE BY LITTLE

Old polar bear flies
through water as if through air
turns & hits same spot
non-stop bored out of its mind
wears away deep dent in wall.

BARS

Leopard changes spots
stripes now cover its body
becoming tiger
bar’s shadows creating this
imaginary animal.

SUMMER’S DEATH

Dead blackened bee falls
from treetop swarming with ants
crawling all over
as if humans processing
whale’s carcase after the kill.


AIUTO!
(HELP!)

Man out on a limb
as if he puts cherries on
the big cherry tree.
Ladder falls stranding him there.
Cat now safely on the ground.

GULP!

Lounging lizard leans
ever so slightly to left
suddenly lunges
fly, who had been annoying
is...gulp...gone now. Hey...thanks pal!

MY MONEY’S ON THE RED!

Blue dragonfly...then
red dragonfly...eye to eye
two Sumo wrestlers
fight it out on old pond
cheered on by water boatmen.

NO.1 FAN!

Teams of dragonflies
dressed in opposing colours
battling it out
on the old pond hoarse frog croaks
their sole supporter.

ANTS IN MY PANTS!

Along this highway
so much traffic back & forth
just non-stop...ceaseless!
Crawling over each other
along this vine...ants...ants...ants!

MY HEART IN HIDING!

Peregrine falcon
cuts across the morning as
I gaze out to sea
it’s perfection stunning me.
Capri still asleep.