another fifty tails

 

another fifty tails

thirteen in wellies and gloves

on a long track with bonzo and tiny

two dogs on loan 

absent with out leave 

all of us 

a webley .22 air pistol 

comfortable in metal and oiled 

heathering it over kilvey hill

raising hares in secret

unknown ways between the farms

their dogs unhesitant

past tir john power station

"one man dead for every number of bricks’

my dad said

fast onto the marsh we know the way

of the non-sinking

the wet board stepping stones

and there

we are

on the can clattering ash cloyed tip

bonzo’s nose downing the rats

the digging and the digging

and bouncing rat flies

to the coup de grâce 

of tiny’s unforgiving

laying the death line upon line

fine sport that sends clouds

of gulls clarion upon the carrion 

of a day well done in the turning

of a smiled homeward footfall

slow in tired rising the hill steeper

than before remembers once again

a bone each for the hunters

egg and chips for me

the gun used once or twice

sleeps in the rag drawer

tomorrow - the dogs eyes ask

tomorrow replies

yes

ratting!

for the next of the fifty tails