Uropygi

Vinegaroon
Peter Goodman

 

 

Men say,

“anyone so ugly is scary!”

And I am, to your pal the scorpion.

Our battles beat mixed-martial-arts all hollow.

No rules, no quarter, but

a damned good supper for me.

 

I try to keep out of your way,

emerge rarely, except after rains

grace the desert. I hunt

while you dream.

 

You say I look like a black crab, but

I’ve never seen the sea. You say

I act like a skunk, though my vinegar fumes

can’t harm

you paunchy apes. Like

Coyote, the Trickster, I do you

more good than harm, and yet

you attack me on sight.

 

 

~~~~~

Las Cruces resident Peter Goodman writes poetry and fiction, as well as a Sunday column in the local newspaper.  He has also driven a cab in New York City, wandered through China, Tibet, and Peru, practiced law, made films, and hosted shows on radio and TV.  He's very old.