Kings Play Chess On Fine Grain Sand

Animals scuttle around me daily,
Turning my gut.
While some master camouflage and roam unnoticed,
Those that do not mercilessly display their evolutionary status.

Brutal is the first order of the beast.
Grotesque beings paw at anything and everything
Though greed to them is a foreign word,
They are the embodiment of its definition.

A little more refined, but just as despicable, are the avians.
They hover over what sates their primal desire: Control.
Yes, they dive and intrude into my space,
Pecking and scratching and clawing to mark what is wrongfully theirs,
Egos soaring sky high.

There are others still.
Unique in their primordial evil, strengthened by sin.
I do not deny that I am an animal too.
I look in my reflection and I see slimy scales, freckled by sun.
My reptilian nature makes me cold to the touch, in need of constant warmth.
Am I better than them?
I detest them with each f*****g breath.
Perhaps because my hate is channeled so broadly
I've none left to transform
To mutate
That brooding loathing is there in my eyes and soaked in my bones
My lizard bones

No, I'm not better than any of them.
My tongue flicks, uncontrollably.
For so long the urge has been there, covered and hidden.
Giving up is my wildest nightmare.

I scuttle, little talons clicking by.
The other animals join in my swan song, heralding my return.

Author's Note

The title is a mnemonic, if it helps you with this poem.

Reviews

[Confuser]

Emily: I think it's very powerful. I had to move the pic of the tiger...distracting but it seemed appropriate with the first stanza. I loved it! master(s)? I love every word: such an attraction I felt, the world at its worst, but so well defined, so well described. Yes, I love the sarcasm, the narcisstic attitude, and all that rage, the criticism of everyone by himself (the Snake)...took it as a metaphor for life, the root of all evil, as the adage goes. The title is wonderful. The visual is amazing. First, in the jungle, the Tiger, the ruler, I thought of a cheetah, hiding in the bushes, but then to me, it's all human nature. The greed, the sin, the rage. I love when I look in my reflection...that's interesting, and of course it could simply be the thoughts of a snake, hating the birds, and all the other creatures, oh so annoying, but Emily, my perspective is the world's takers, and the snake is the ultimate deceiver. The careless, the selfish....I love it. Hope I didn't bore you. I just LOVE it! Wide eyed and in awe. Thank you...Dale

[Emily]

WOW! You totally got where I was going with this poem, and even took it farther! I love you for it.
P.S. what do you mean by "master(s)?" oops!

[Confuser]

Yay!!! You made me so happy: My grammar is terrible; as I re-read just now, I see it should be singular....I almost spent hours reading about mnemonics, but refrained. I ALWAYS LOVE your poems!

[Emily]

Thank you!!!

[Confuser]

You're welcome!

[usman]

Nice write up,..am really inspired!

[Emily]

Thank you Usman!

[Coyote Poetry]

"Brutal is the first order of the beast.
Grotesque beings paw at anything and everything
Though greed to them is a foreign word,
They are the embodiment of its definition."
Amazing use of description. The above lines were my favorite. I like the way you led the reader to question and answers. I enjoyed the complete poem. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Emily]

Thank you so much for your feedback!

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome.