Ode to the Captured Mountain Lion
I left my dart in San Francisco.38 total reviews
Comment from Gloria ....
Ha, love the pun in your subtitle, Sis. Poor kitty though. Hopefully he's doing well in his new habitat. There are lots of cougars around where I live and they visit the crowded beaches sometimes and hide behind trees. Coyotes are the biggest threats to small pets.
I love how you described how the cat across the bridge. I wonder if that's how it came down.
These are interesting events though, eh? The wild cat, the big cat that ended up in town.
Excellent free verse and I wish you the best in the contest.
Gloria
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Ha, love the pun in your subtitle, Sis. Poor kitty though. Hopefully he's doing well in his new habitat. There are lots of cougars around where I live and they visit the crowded beaches sometimes and hide behind trees. Coyotes are the biggest threats to small pets.
I love how you described how the cat across the bridge. I wonder if that's how it came down.
These are interesting events though, eh? The wild cat, the big cat that ended up in town.
Excellent free verse and I wish you the best in the contest.
Gloria
Comment Written 14-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Yes, Gloria, as amazing as it sounds, the puma may have walked the entire San Francisco peninsula until it reached the end. Thank you for your review and for wishing me the best in the contest. I?m glad the subtitle made you laugh.
Comment from LIJ Red
We have so many deer they are a road hazard, but I don't think they are bringing back the wolves and cougars yet. The black bear stocking created problems.
Too many houses with food and garbage available. Excellent post.
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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We have so many deer they are a road hazard, but I don't think they are bringing back the wolves and cougars yet. The black bear stocking created problems.
Too many houses with food and garbage available. Excellent post.
Comment Written 13-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Thank you, LIJ Red, for your review. Yes, problems are often created by the intersection of wildlife and people.
Comment from ameen786
Andre my friend, it's been a while, welcome back; thank you for this fascinating story that you so beautifully penned contrasting wild life to urban; great flow and a delightful read; thank you.
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Andre my friend, it's been a while, welcome back; thank you for this fascinating story that you so beautifully penned contrasting wild life to urban; great flow and a delightful read; thank you.
Comment Written 13-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Yes, Ameen, it?s been a while. I began writing this poem soon after the November capture of the puma. Been busy publishing and performing. I have submitted and/or published half of the poems in my portfolio, including this poem I submitted to Blink. Now I have to write new ones. Thank you for your review. Being back is great.
Comment from barbara.wilkey
My heart is going out to this cougar. I'm sure when he woke up this morning this isn't what he expected would happen. We had one come to town in Texas a while back and was told to keep our small pets and the like in the house until he left the area. I guess he did. We haven't had any sightings for awhile. Good luck with the contest.
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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My heart is going out to this cougar. I'm sure when he woke up this morning this isn't what he expected would happen. We had one come to town in Texas a while back and was told to keep our small pets and the like in the house until he left the area. I guess he did. We haven't had any sightings for awhile. Good luck with the contest.
Comment Written 13-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Thank you, Barbara, for your heartfelt review. When the wildlife wardens captured a mountain lion in San Francisco, I was surprised to discover that another was spotted a mile from my home in Hercules. Decreasing the amount of jogging I did in the evening, I resumed jogging on a gym treadmill.
Comment from Boogienights
I like this poem so much. It evoked feelings of sadness for the animal and thoughts about how scared and bewildered it must have been. At least it wasn't killed. Just a day ago a timber wolf was roaming the outskirts of town with its mouth and jaws caught in a wire snare. Though they tried to capture and help the animal, it was moving around too much and it ended up being shot by the local police. The wolf was starving and it was probably for the best, but it's still very sad. Thanks for the interesting story.
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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I like this poem so much. It evoked feelings of sadness for the animal and thoughts about how scared and bewildered it must have been. At least it wasn't killed. Just a day ago a timber wolf was roaming the outskirts of town with its mouth and jaws caught in a wire snare. Though they tried to capture and help the animal, it was moving around too much and it ended up being shot by the local police. The wolf was starving and it was probably for the best, but it's still very sad. Thanks for the interesting story.
Comment Written 13-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Yes, Boogienights, it?s sad that starving, injured wolf could not have been helped instead of destroyed. Thank you for your review of my interesting story.
Comment from Janet Foor
Excellent free verse poem from the excellent title to the very end of the poem.
The message is clear and profound as we have taken over the land these cats have called home. Now we have developed it and made it our home and they are punished. Somehow, it doesn't seem fair.
Very nicely done my friend.
Blessings
Janet
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Excellent free verse poem from the excellent title to the very end of the poem.
The message is clear and profound as we have taken over the land these cats have called home. Now we have developed it and made it our home and they are punished. Somehow, it doesn't seem fair.
Very nicely done my friend.
Blessings
Janet
Comment Written 13-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Thank you, Janet, for your generous six star review of my poemmabout a troubling issue of our times. No, it isn?t fair. Thanks.
Comment from estory
I thought this was pretty strong. I liked the opening, we get drawn in as you name all the wild cats, and then you give us these really strong images of the wildness of the cat drugged and caged, the freedom of life confronted by the realities of the urban environment. The trees, the mountains, the wide open fields contrast beautifully with the concrete buildings, steel fences and asphalt streets of the city, we see the animal bound in the back of a pick up truck, and then we see him wake up, collared, tagged, tracked by GPS, forever kind of imprisoned, never quite free and wild. I though it was a great poem describing the modern way we treat animals today. No respect. estory
reply by the author on 13-Feb-2018
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I thought this was pretty strong. I liked the opening, we get drawn in as you name all the wild cats, and then you give us these really strong images of the wildness of the cat drugged and caged, the freedom of life confronted by the realities of the urban environment. The trees, the mountains, the wide open fields contrast beautifully with the concrete buildings, steel fences and asphalt streets of the city, we see the animal bound in the back of a pick up truck, and then we see him wake up, collared, tagged, tracked by GPS, forever kind of imprisoned, never quite free and wild. I though it was a great poem describing the modern way we treat animals today. No respect. estory
Comment Written 13-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 13-Feb-2018
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Thank you, estory, for noting the intersection between wildness and civilization. And thank you for your detailed review. The tagged and tracked mountain lion is never quite free again.
Comment from damommy
I appreciate your sympathy for the poor creature. You're so right - we've invaded their territory and then punish them for being there.
You said it so well and so beautifully in your poem. It really struck a chord with me. It made my heart ache for the creatures we keep pushing aside. So sad.
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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I appreciate your sympathy for the poor creature. You're so right - we've invaded their territory and then punish them for being there.
You said it so well and so beautifully in your poem. It really struck a chord with me. It made my heart ache for the creatures we keep pushing aside. So sad.
Comment Written 13-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Yes, Damommy, it?s a beautiful and sad poem. I?m glad it struck a chord with you. Thank you for your review.
Comment from MercurySeven
I'm not generally a huge fan of free verse, but I really like how you unfold your ideas in this. It is a miniature story, starting with a mystery:
how did you enter San Francisco?
Then there's the drama of the capture and the "lucky" escape from certain death. It's just a poor unknowing native cat that wandered into a place it knows not, and you capture that well here--how we respond to its presence. There's a lot of symbolism here:
amid creeks instead of concrete,
amid trees instead of trucks,
amid mountains instead of mansions,
It's a quietly powerful piece about man and Nature in the modern world. This is a masterfully ironic finale:
but we will track
your freedom
as long as you live.
It was a pleasure to read your work.
reply by the author on 13-Feb-2018
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I'm not generally a huge fan of free verse, but I really like how you unfold your ideas in this. It is a miniature story, starting with a mystery:
how did you enter San Francisco?
Then there's the drama of the capture and the "lucky" escape from certain death. It's just a poor unknowing native cat that wandered into a place it knows not, and you capture that well here--how we respond to its presence. There's a lot of symbolism here:
amid creeks instead of concrete,
amid trees instead of trucks,
amid mountains instead of mansions,
It's a quietly powerful piece about man and Nature in the modern world. This is a masterfully ironic finale:
but we will track
your freedom
as long as you live.
It was a pleasure to read your work.
Comment Written 13-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 13-Feb-2018
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Yes, MercurySeven, it is beautiful and yet sad that we will track this big cat as long as he lives. It makes us question whether or not wild animals can be free in our modern world.
Thank you for your generous, six star review and for your keen observations of my free verse. I appreciate it.
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My pleasure! Keep up the great work.
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And the same to you!
Comment from Mustang Patty
Hi, Andre;
How horrible for the poor guy. I think the poor thing just popped down to see what was up. He didn't mean any harm, though, if cornered by the wrong sort, he would have made short order of them - those dastardly claws and dangerous teeth.
Hopefully, he found his way into safer territory. Thank you for sharing him with us,
~patty~
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Hi, Andre;
How horrible for the poor guy. I think the poor thing just popped down to see what was up. He didn't mean any harm, though, if cornered by the wrong sort, he would have made short order of them - those dastardly claws and dangerous teeth.
Hopefully, he found his way into safer territory. Thank you for sharing him with us,
~patty~
Comment Written 13-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 15-Feb-2018
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Yes, Patty, he?s safer in Crystal Springs now than he was in the middle of San Francisco. Thank you for your review.