I Killed a Grasshopper

An expression of some guilt at the demise of a grasshopper!

An insolent grasshopper
flew into the embrace
of my bare room,
lost,
frightened
and chirpy!

         You invaded my peace, man!
         Your wings my executioner’s sword!
         Your fangs my grave digger’s pride!

I struck at it, the hopper,
It lay at my feet
shocked,
unmoving
except for the twitching
of uncomprehending antennae.

         I stared at your stupor,
         amazed,
         sharing in your shock!

Suddenly
it sprang into life,
on the floor!
crying to me
for mercy that I cannot give,
for life that I do not have!
Then it went into a shadow
and died,
the grasshopper, it died!

         My kindred,
         I have killed you!
         My kinsbeing,
         You have killed me
         by dying such an agonising death!

         For my peace,
         I shall bury you!
         You shall not satisfy
         the grizzly hunger
         of some shameless lazy lizard!