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
~~~~~
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.