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Click hereThe cold November wind is blowing down my back
Should have layered up, I should have worn my hat
Digging another sad small hole along the fence line
A few minutes ago my .22 went pop
Another sad small life was ended
A few weeks ago we had a Disney barn
Full of kittens and cats and fun
Rambunctious fun, a circus of play, acrobats and clowns
Barn cats, some tame- affectionate, some shy – avoiding
Some named – Tiny Tail, Ugly Betty, Smudge – most not
It started when one moved in, uninvited
But welcome, she grew to look like a football
Then there were eight, and more, and more, and more
Trapping, spaying, neutering we slowed
Colony growth but couldn't stop it
Nature is doing the job we couldn't
Runny eyes, losing weight, slowing down
Sleeping, not eating, getting thinner
Not playing, runny eyes
Sleeping, slowed breathing, dying
Some mornings I find one dead
Or in the final stages
My misery ending .22 goes pop
Another sad small life is gone.
Another sad small hole by the fence line
Can't relieve them too early
They may recover - Ugly Betty, Smudge, Pirate
But mostly they don't – Tiny Tail, Little Tig, Horton
And the population is going down, down
The vet said winter cold may end it
Of no consequence in the scheme of anything
Unimportant, no reason to write of it
Except that I love them and hate to kill them
Or see them dead in the hay
And dig sad small holes by the fence line
"Another sad small life was ended"
this repeating
along with your descriptions of the frolicsome nature of the kittens gives the tone and melancholy feel you were aiming for, The best lines in context stated by 1201 but I feel the final stanza is the clincher.
Clearday, Twelveoone, great comments from folks who have provided such great guidance.
Lesse - its running its course, appreciate your sentiment. Sad thing is that I no longer cry when I do it.
Ashesh - Yep and the strongest survive.
Disease , starvation , wars limit unchecked population growth ..............sigh .......
Dead kittens are like the saddest thing on earth. I'm sorry you had to... do that. I can't shake the image of those little holes along the fence.
You tell such good stories. This one sad. I envy your talent.