Monkey puzzle

So tired from his bars his eyes,
that nothing more can crowd into his mind.
He feels as though a hundred bars give rise
to many more to bar the world behind.

He paces up and down, his wrinkly face
stares haughty. On his nose two pinkish stripes
are painted expertly which gives him grace
not to deflect his manners, when he swipes

his hairy arms. His hands rattle the bars
and try to prise them open in a rage,
that lies within his eyes like hidden scars
and flares whenever he is taking stage

but quickly dies. He sits, inspects his thumb,
pees in the sand and shows his red behind.
He turns his back to all, up with his bum,
defiantly he slowly passes wind.



Behind Bars


He sent shudders out around them.
His face was wrinkled and thin.
His nose had a pink and white stripe
and his arms hit the bars with a swipe

to reach out of the gaps with his hands
that were hairy and long and he showed
a big yawn and his sharp yellow teeth
looked a threat to all those beneath

his tall cage, where he stood and peered down,
where he jumped and swung high from the ropes,
where he fell to the ground with a bang,
where he grinned with a glistening fang,

where he crouched and inspected his bum,
where he scratched it and peed through the bars,
where his rage lived and died and his mind
since long time had meekly resigned.