By Kim Hiss

While April 1 is most commonly celebrated as April Fool's Day, it's also the first day of National Poetry Month. And because there are just never enough poems on these F&S blogs (I'm sure we all feel that way!), I'm taking it upon myself to make up for that literary injustice with a few verses on hunting. You're welcome. 

First up is a stanza from "Song of Myself" by the iconic American Poet Walt Whitman:

Alone far in the wilds and mountains I hunt, 

Wandering amazed at my own lightness and glee,

In the late afternoon choosing a safe spot to pass the night, 

Kindling a fire and broiling the fresh-kill'd game, 

Falling asleep on the gather'd leaves with my dog and gun by my side. 

For a contrasting perspective, here's Ohio-born poet Eleanor Wilner with an excerpt from "Hunting Manual." The piece imagines the fisherman's hook and net will disappear and the trapper's "metal jaws" will go "blunt with rust." It ends with this wish: 

Look then for the blank card, the sprung trap,

the net's dissolve, the unburdened

line that swings free in the air. 

There. By day, go empty-handed to the hunt

and come home the same way 

in the dark. 

And for a humble contribution of my own (this will be worth millions some day): 

I live in the city, 

I think deer are pretty.

I like when it's sunny,

and turkeys are yummy. 

I hope you've enjoyed your healthy daily dose of poetry. Now, go forth and rhyme. -K.H. 

Comments (16)

from 2Poppa wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

Squeaky hinges long for oil,
old paint dries out, blisters and cracks.

Light blankets the sun-drenched earth,
the sea awaits the full moon kiss,

Spring has a way of feelin' like this ...

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from steve182 wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

Don't quit your day job hon.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Blackfin32 wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

browtine bull's on the hanging hook
fresh blood's in the pickup truck
that sweet smell and these
cold hands please God
let me hunt another year

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Judy Black wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

Spring has sprung
The grass has riz
I wonder where the turkies is!

JB

And...I won't quit my day job...promise

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jlfreeborn wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

My heart beats with fear.
Will I miss my deer?
Nope. My freezer's full of meat,
and it's time to eat!

I don't have a day job to quit! Does that mean I'm hopeless?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

I've been trying to rhyme something all day. All I got is a headache.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from dighunter wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

There once was a man from nantucket... Oh wait, I that might not be appropriate here. Have a good day folks.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Shannon S. wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

Hippity hop hop.
The year's last rabbit is shot.
I'm sad it's over.

Do haikus count?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jan wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

I live for the seasons,
and as one ends....
I ready for the next
Can't wait for it to begin!

From deer to turkey,
To bass on te bed;
The doves and waterfowl
Soaring overhead.

Elk start to bugle
Among the Aspen trees;
I live for the seasons
And hunt all of these!

Food plots and stands
Ground blinds and bows
Optics and commoflage
A new gun and ammo!

I live for the seasons,
and as one ends
I ready for the next,
Can't wait for it to begin!

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

I don't know if I can
I won't even try
I can't do better than Jan
so I'll say good-bye

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from teufelhunden wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

My all time favorite;

Best of all he loved the fall
The leaves yellow on the cottonwoods
Leaves floating on the trout streams
And above the hills
The high blue windless skies
Now he will be a part of them forever

Ernest Hemingway - Idaho - 1939

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Judy Black wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

This one is from my husband..I could never come up with anything this great!! lol
Spring is a comin'
Nothing to hunt
Everyones bumin'
Longing to kill
........Hark
Those ducks are a quackin'
Somebody whackem!

Now you see what I deal with every day of my life??? Help!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from kimhiss wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

I think we should forward these to the Pulitzer folks! Really some of these are pretty friggin good -- and a haiku to boot. Others, well, sorry about your headache, Buckhunter -- tho, I think you rallied nicely. I was worried I'd set the bar a little too high with my original verse, so I'm glad to see no one was too intimidated to compose one of their own (kidding!) -K.H.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

from Blackfin32 wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

browtine bull's on the hanging hook
fresh blood's in the pickup truck
that sweet smell and these
cold hands please God
let me hunt another year

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jan wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

I live for the seasons,
and as one ends....
I ready for the next
Can't wait for it to begin!

From deer to turkey,
To bass on te bed;
The doves and waterfowl
Soaring overhead.

Elk start to bugle
Among the Aspen trees;
I live for the seasons
And hunt all of these!

Food plots and stands
Ground blinds and bows
Optics and commoflage
A new gun and ammo!

I live for the seasons,
and as one ends
I ready for the next,
Can't wait for it to begin!

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from 2Poppa wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

Squeaky hinges long for oil,
old paint dries out, blisters and cracks.

Light blankets the sun-drenched earth,
the sea awaits the full moon kiss,

Spring has a way of feelin' like this ...

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Judy Black wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

Spring has sprung
The grass has riz
I wonder where the turkies is!

JB

And...I won't quit my day job...promise

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from steve182 wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

Don't quit your day job hon.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jlfreeborn wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

My heart beats with fear.
Will I miss my deer?
Nope. My freezer's full of meat,
and it's time to eat!

I don't have a day job to quit! Does that mean I'm hopeless?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

I've been trying to rhyme something all day. All I got is a headache.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from dighunter wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

There once was a man from nantucket... Oh wait, I that might not be appropriate here. Have a good day folks.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Shannon S. wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

Hippity hop hop.
The year's last rabbit is shot.
I'm sad it's over.

Do haikus count?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

I don't know if I can
I won't even try
I can't do better than Jan
so I'll say good-bye

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from teufelhunden wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

My all time favorite;

Best of all he loved the fall
The leaves yellow on the cottonwoods
Leaves floating on the trout streams
And above the hills
The high blue windless skies
Now he will be a part of them forever

Ernest Hemingway - Idaho - 1939

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Judy Black wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

This one is from my husband..I could never come up with anything this great!! lol
Spring is a comin'
Nothing to hunt
Everyones bumin'
Longing to kill
........Hark
Those ducks are a quackin'
Somebody whackem!

Now you see what I deal with every day of my life??? Help!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from kimhiss wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

I think we should forward these to the Pulitzer folks! Really some of these are pretty friggin good -- and a haiku to boot. Others, well, sorry about your headache, Buckhunter -- tho, I think you rallied nicely. I was worried I'd set the bar a little too high with my original verse, so I'm glad to see no one was too intimidated to compose one of their own (kidding!) -K.H.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.