Mankind After the Extinction of Bald Eagles, Coyotes, Panthers, etc.

mankind after the extinction of bald eagles, coyotes, panthers, etc.


1. Man’s relationship with his family:
six boys

The first boy said, “My father can beat up all
your fathers.” The second boy said, “My father
can beat up all your fathers.” The third boy said,
“My father can beat up all your fathers.”
The fourth boy said, “My father can beat up
all your fathers.” The fifth boy said,
“I don’t have a father.” The sixth boy said,
“All your fathers can beat up my father because
my father refuses to fight.” The first five boys
beat up the sixth boy, and then the first four
beat up the fifth boy, and then they went home
and beat up their fathers.

2. Man’s relationship to history: Columbus Day

When I was a child, my teacher told me to honor
Columbus. I even lived on a street named
Columbus Drive. My uncle lived in Columbis, Ohio.
My parents were planning to send me
to Columbia University.

I thought about all the tortured, raped, robbed,
crippled and murdered Indians. I asked my teacher
why we do not honor Charles Manson and the man
who went up into a Texas Tower and shot people
at random. Why are there no days, streets,
and universities named after them?

She replied, “Because they did not try to find
a shorter route to salt and pepper.”

3. Man’s relationship to his work:
The tiger trainer

With a sharp stick the tiger trainer forced
the tiger to sit still on the sawdust.
The tiger trainer jumped through a flaming hoop.
The tiger trainer bowed before the tiger,
but the tiger did not applaud.
The tiger trainer jumped again through the hoop,
but the tiger did not applaud.
The tiger trainer jumped again.
No applause from the tiger.
The tiger trainer shot the tiger,
and now the tiger trainer is unemployed.

4. Man’s relationship to his self:
Self Reliance, based on an essay by Emerson

That night somebody stole my radio,
and I had to do my own singing.

5. Man’s relationship to progress:
The restaurant that turns in the Peachtree
Center at Atlanta, Georgia

The current went off, and I had to pick up
my plate and run around in a circle.



Duane Locke

Posted over on Scars