"Have you Heard the News?"

Have you heard the news?
A lion has escaped from the zoo.
He’s prowling Main St. at this hour.
No telling what he might devour.

No one seems to know just how
to catch and calm the ole guy down.
Truth be told, he only has 4 teeth.
Getting up in age, just like our town.

Maybe Cave Springs will get some press.
Before someone captures the furry pest.
I figure he’ll tire out, take a nap.
Before he tries to savage anyone’s cat.

Nina Jeffers is out in her rollers and robe.
Calling “Here, Kitty, kitty” with a rope,
on a stick is a 16 oz t-bone.
Seems that’s how her Bobby came home.

Sheriff Flynn shakes his bald head.
For this, he got out of bed.
Sweat pours, “God, this heat!”
Nothing in his job Manuel bout' beasts.

Lawrence from the hardware store,
Has come prepared with a 4 x 4.
Wonder what he’s goin do?
This might be worth a picture or two.

As for Stan, our vicious beast,
he prowls slowly along the street.
Looking in windows of local stores.
Doesn’t seem interested in bloody gore.

Joe Phillips steps out of his saloon.
Ready for business, stained apron on.
Puts down a huge bowl of beef hash,
soaked in peach hooch from Pop’s stash.

Stan slinks over, sniffs about.
I believe Joe has figured this out.
As Stan digs in to his hundred proof meal.
A metal mesh net, a creative deal.

Here come the cavalry, county boys.
They even have a tank, lots of nasty toys.
Sheriff grins, “Thanks, but no thanks, sons”.
"We handle bizness fine without them guns".

By Kathie Stehr
Aug 7, 2021
40 lines