At the South Pole

(The following is a Pantoum poem, written for the Writer's Cramp.)



At the South Pole*


He guards the babe on his feet
That Emperor penguin dad.
He has nothing at all to eat
He must be a tiny bit sad.

That Emperor penguin dad,
Wishing his wife were near,
He must be a tiny bit sad
Knowing she’s far, I fear.

Wishing his wife were near
Is that all that he has to do?
Knowing she's far, I fear.
He’s really in an awful stew.

Is that all that he has to do
To warm that little egg?
He’s really in an awful stew.
Then CRACK near his leg . . .

To warm that little egg
Where he’s sat so long atop,
Then CRACK near his leg . . .
A tiny beak gives a chop.

Where he’s sat so long atop,
There is now a newborn chick.
A tiny beak gives a chop,
Though the shell is very thick.

There is now a newborn chick;
It begs for a fishy meal.
Though the shell is very thick,
Dad regurgitates some seal.

It begs for a fishy meal.
Then it opens up its beak.
Dad regurgitates some seal.
What a strange technique.

Then it opens up its beak.
Though the icy wind churns,
Dad regurgitates some seal
Until mommy penguin returns.

Though the icy winds churn,
He has nothing at all to eat;
Until mommy penguin returns,
He guards the babe on his feet.


* The father Emperor penguin goes months without eating a single bite, while his wife swims, eats, and plays after delivering the egg. When the baby is born, the father penguin regurgitates food into its mouth and continues to feed it, although he isn't able to go hunt for food. He must remain with the chick night and day or it will freeze. Only when the mother penguin returns is the male free to go out to sea and find food.


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