Page 70 - Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright

AUGUST
190
4
th
THEEAGLE
Hi g h s o a r s t h e e a gl e
A stealt hy a ngel i n flig ht
Piercing eyes on all
Allyson Baker
th
5
HIPPO
The hippois a visualjoke,
inflatedlikearubber bed,
whoselittle bulgingfeatures poke
o ut of a y a w ni n g h e a d.
Herjawsarebuiltto matchhergirth,
with palateribbedfore mphasis.
Full-fed,sheflops upontheearth
andsmiles withrosybliss.
But whenshelaunchesfromtheverge
toswim withcurvedaquaticgrace,
those nostrils, eyes and ears e merge
aboveahiddenface —
and as by under water bulk
you’reco mprehensivelysurveyed...
is hippo an ungainly hulk?
Or marvellously made?
Margaret To ms