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 :)

[john l smith]

I hate to see wildlife suffer no matter what the grammatical concerns

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Dave.I hate it too. Needs to be far more respect shown to wildlife and the environment.

Chris

[AYVID N]

A balanced diet was in order. Sadly, the Ill-fated swans became victims of misinformation and the world lost out on their beauty. A powerful message captured so well in elegantly drafted verses. To me the poem read beautifully Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Divya. The swans have been fed bread on the Thames for ever and along comes some bright spark who ends up by endangering them with misinformation. Sad.

Chris

[AYVID N]

I hope that the error has been rectified and made good. Always something to learn from such tragedies.

You’re welcome Chris! 💕

[Tamara Beryl Latham]

Christine this rhyming poem is excellent and informative as well. I had no idea swans were dying as a result of people feeding them inappropriate food. I don't see many where I live. I'm in a rural area with horses, cows, deer, llamas, etc.

While reading your poem I thought, if you could write one more quatrain, you'd have a sonnet (3 quatrains and a couplet, total of 14 lines). Think about it! :-)

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Tamara, this has happened in the area where I live. I have no idea if there is a problem elsewhere. I certainly hope not. Yes, I could have turned it into a sonnet, but I said as much as I wanted to say. Many thank yous for your visits. Always appreciated.

Chris

[Tamara Beryl Latham]

You're welcome.

[Stella Armour]

Then "They" should have said what to feed them instead of bread; oh how stupidity likes to hear its own name.

[Chris Shaw]

Stupidity does like to hear its own voice Stella. How right you are. They made a big mistake here.read moreStupidity does like to hear its own voice Stella. How right you are. They made a big mistake here.

All good wishes

Chris

[Onlyme]

Well said, Chris. I do agree totally with you on this subject.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Dawn. Sad news and so unnecessary.

Chris

[Wild Rose]

We dont have Swans
But lots of garden birds

Dont feed them bread they say or meat
They get bread crumbs: cut up scraps of meat; fat off meat; Christmas cake crumbs - cheese to go with it;
Bits from the bottom of cereal packets worms as we dig the garden - slugs and snails

Oh and bits of bird food (which they leave for the other stuff)
In all they have a good all round feed

10 Black birds /;hundreds ( it seems) of sparrows Starlings; a Robin and Golfinches by the score


They dont die off they bring their family & friends

[Chris Shaw]

Wild Rose, you are providing a banquet for your birds. No wonder they keep returning with their young year on year. So rewarding for you. I was really upset to learn about swans dying from hunger. They are incredibly beautiful to watch. Many thanks for your visit and sharing.

Chris

[Wild Rose]

Forgot: A six foot wall is 'clothed' in evergreen flowering shrubs where sparrows nest and there is a caged hanger with nuts - another on a tree limb with grain for finches and a stand in view of the hall window with nuts; black grain; peanuts where we can watch. A side unusable area surrounded by hedges left to run to seed and bits of rotting wood under the hedges (in places not all over)
Sort of 'High class' bird cafe

[Norman 223]

This poem could also be a warning for all kind hearted, but ill informed animal and bird lovers, Chris. Chocolate for dogs ,bread and milk for hedgehogs can also be harmful.
Now, wearing my "grammar police" hat In your final line I think you need the final apostrophe in "others" in this context.. it should be... others'. It looks odd, but .....you did ask:-)).
I hope your poem can be more widely read....in a local newspaper, perhaps.

Norman

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear Norman for your review and for wearing your grammar hat. Yes I did ask because I was stumped on others and I knew something wasn't quite right. Your thoughts about the content gratefully received.

Chris

[Maxwell Ryder]

Why have you called in the grammar police?

As to the writing, I only have one comment. Animals are always the first to be fleeced, so keep feeding the geese.

[Chris Shaw]

Love your response Maxwell. 're gramnar, I was having a moment about apostrophies, particularly in my final line. It started to do my head in :)