And Having Killed Two Birds

AND HAVING KILLED TWO BIRDS

And having killed two birds with one stone
he attempted by a series of manipulative procedures
to perfect his exterminatory techniques
He succeeded shortly in swatting seven flies with one swipe of the Daily Express
His attention turned then to the possibilities of ants
His boot covered nearly half the hill's area
and six hundred bodies lay squashed in the mire
The survivors crawled quickly over his boot
up his trouser leg to his private parts

Before the first ant reached his navel
he fell over screaming at the pain of the stings
His head cracked open on a stone, brains and blood spilling out,
the red and the grey and the black merging
as two birds flew down, each to peck one eye

© GERALD ENGLAND

Composed: Sheffield, 29th June 1971

Publications

1972 Wormwood Review (USA)
1980 THE RAINBOW AND OTHER POEMS (Heckmondwyke, Fighting Cock Press)
1990 La Carta de Oliver (Argentina)

*****
Y HABIENDO MATADO DOS PAJAROS

   Y habiendo matado dos pajaros una piedra
   el intento con una serie de procedimientos manipuladores
   perfeccionar sus tecnicas exterminadoras
   En sequida tuvo exito dando un subito golpe a siete moscas
                    con el Daily Express
   Su atencion se centro luego en las posibilidades con
                    hormigas
   Su bota cubria cerca de la mitad del terreno de la colina
   y seiscientos cuerpos yacian aplastados contra el lodo
   Las sobrevivientes gatearon rapidamente a su bota
   por sus pantalones hacia sus partes intimas

   Antes que la orimera hormiga arribase a su ombligo
   cayo gritando por el dolor de las picazones
   Su cabeza se partio en dos sobre una piedra, cerebro y
                    sangre volcandose hacia afuera,
   mientras dos pajaros bajaban volando, para picotear un ojo
                    cada uno.

GERALD ENGLAND

Traduccion: Matias Serra Bradford.


Publication

1990 La Carta de Oliver (Argentina)