Stupidity Kills

(Consequences of following misinformation) Two swans dead and others at risk and winter has only just started. Local news in Caversham by the Thames.

"Do not feed them bread", they said.
So people listened, stayed away
or fed them frozen peas instead.
A declaration, "Swans are dead".

Half the weight they should have been,
so false advice caused them to die.
They can't survive on all that's green,
it's not as simple as it seems.

Our swans are dying needlessly,
through others crass stupidity.

Author's Note

Grammar police , please help with this one.

Reviews

[Relic]

"Do not feed them bread," they said.
So people listened, stayed away
or fed them frozen peas instead.

A declaration, "Swans are dead."

Half the weight they should have been,
so false advice caused them to die.
They can't survive on all that's green,
it's not as simple as it seems.

Our swans are dying needlessly
through others crass stupidity.

I don't think I'd ever feed an animal ANYTHING frozen. ha
Poor geese, they need meals on wheels as we have in the USA. :)

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Tim for layout suggestions. Meals on wheels for geese, now that has me laughing.
read moreThank you Tim for layout suggestions. Meals on wheels for geese, now that has me laughing.

Chris

[Wild Rose]

How about a hang glider cafe

Geese visit the 'Lakes' for winter food on ground and fish

[Chris Shaw]

Your imagination is on fire Wild Rose. Good morning to you :)

[H L Rose]

That's sad. I feel like this idea can be a metaphor for other situations. Both the misinformation and the "not [feeding] them bread".

I think the poem is written nicely, simply, and clearly.

I enjoyed reading it!

[Chris Shaw]

Many thank yous for your review. Pleased that you came to visit. All good wishes.

Chris

[Wesley Dingler]

You mean there are grammar police. I may be in for it, Chris.

But seriously I love this poem. I'm a birder myself.
I think you made a great cut into what happens when people broadcast stupidity.
Or worse, when people listen to people who broadcast stupidity.

Cheers! on that.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you muchly for your visit. Appreciated.

Chris

[Lanny]

Your ABAB rhyme scheme is stylishly developed, and the rhyming couplet at the end finishes it nicely with a powerful opinion on the local crisis created by ignorance in your immediate area. I enjoyed reading your emotive piece, thanks.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Lanny. Pleased to have you visit my page. All good wishes.

Chris

[NotUsinganymore]

very nice. Thanks for spreading awareness. However, I don’t think it’ll stop people.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you. Fortunately people here were so upset about magnificent swans that grace our river Thames dying of starvation, that they are now out with bread feeding them. Just as it has been for hundreds of years.

Chris

[Papaya]

screw the grammar police.
this breaks my heart :(

[Chris Shaw]

Ana, it really upset me too. Thankfully there have been no further swan deaths, and people are out feeding them bread.

Chris

[Papaya]

i'm happy to hear that, poor creatures

[Corset]

just about everything is said to cause a disease of some sort now-a-days! Now it's tomato skins, and potato skins, lawd, Poor Swans, I imagine if we can not live on bread alone then it should stand to reason Swans can not live on peas alone either! I can't grammar police anyone , i'm more likely to be driven off in handcuffs myself !

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Corset for your response. Pleased to say, people are out now feeding bread to the swans and there have been no further deaths reported this week.

Chris

[Corset]

That is so good to know, thank you

[jacob erin-cilberto]

sometimes it is like in everyday life and people...we are warned not to help...and sometimes that is just as detrimental as doing something.
i like how you set this up...the only grammar i saw were the commas and periods which go inside the quotation marks...

but i have some extra bread for those swans...no peas...

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for the review Jacob and especially the bread for the swans :)

Chris

[barleygirl]

As a technical writer for 30+ years, I found that it is wise to tell people WHAT TO DO as well as WHAT NOT TO DO. People will always try things if you don't spell it out completely. I love that you pick this example of how unimaginable people can be. I try to remember this every time our prez has something stupid or false to say & 40% of our country believes him. I'm still working on my lessons in tolerance! *wink! wink!* Fondly, Margie

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Margie. A little vent from me. Feel a lot better now.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

I feed the swans, bread and crackers. They appreciate. Here in Michigan. No food. Many old people take care of the birds who stay in Michigan. Sometimes rules are foolish. Always a pleasurer to read your work dear Chris.
Coyote

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks for your visit Coyote. All good wishes.

Chris