On one of the days when i was running around the city i went to a place where i encountered a gang of about twelve whittery twittery ten[ish] year old girls who had gathered with great excitement around a counter where there was a petition that they were all signing.

“What are you doing?” i asked one of them. A chorus came back “We are signing a petition to save the Animals.” they said, with that wonderful ferocious certainty that is the sole province of ten years olds. Their voices rang with strident clarity as i walked on down the empty hallway and as their phrases bounced against the bare winter walls without warning the words came straight at me and i managed to catch most of them before they flew off.

The Petition to save the Animals

Love the animals
love them all
love the ones that slither and crawl.

Love the cats
that snarl and claw
love the dog
behind the door

Love the elephants
with their trunks
love the smelly
naughty skunks.

Has the bell rung?
Has the fat duck sung?
Is time running out
for everyone

No we say we love them all
and those who ask this
must be in thrall
to the emptiness behind
the wall.

The bell has rung
the deed is done
we covered the world with everyone

If they can’t pay rent
they were not meant
to stay on here for the main event…
They have to go!

No No No
We want to hear you cry
that all the animals must not die
so bring them back into
our towns
those Lions and Tigers bearing frowns

Love the animals
love them all
especially those that
slither and crawl.

.NiK[06]