That Possums' Wear

(In Pantoum)

That possums’ wear!
It is unsightly, without a doubt,
On willows, and pollard outerwear.
The trees are finding it hard, this spring, to sprout.

It is unsightly, without a doubt.
We see such headless trunks, without leaves.
The trees are finding it hard, this spring, to sprout;
When rain doth fall, amid the breeze.

We see such headless trunks, without leaves,
On barren lands that slip away,
When rain doth fall, amid the breeze;
Afforestation is the challenge, day by day.

On barren lands that slip away,
Veggie roots no longer cling, to the ground.
Afforestation is the challenge, day by day,
When, omnivorous possums everywhere, abound.

Veggie roots, no longer cling to the ground,
So bees and birds, don’t build their nests,
When omnivorous possums, everywhere abound;
They are such invasive squirmy pests.

So bees and birds, don’t build their nests;
On account of these marauding bush tail rats,
For they are such invasive pests,
So very fat, they look like tabby cats.

On account of these marauding bush tail rats,
The environment, we must protect from this ragtag lot,
So very fat, they look like tabby cats;
They need to be dealt with on the spot.

The environment, we must protect from this ragtag lot,
Because their sticky underwear, truly clings.
They need to be dealt with on the spot;
We say, make their pelts, into all sorts of things.

Because their sticky underwear, truly clings,
On willows and pollard outerwear;
We say, make their pelts, into all sorts of things,
That possums’ wear.

©Paterika Hengreaves
Spring 2004/New Zealand