SURVIVAL OF THE PENGUINS
by Tom Leonard
"THE GREAT GOD BRIAN SEAGULL WILL PROTECT US!"
CRIED SANCHO, THE BIG FAT KING EMPEROR,
AS THE TSUNAMIS CRASHED TOWARDS THE ANTARCTIC SHORE
"FEEL LOVE NOT FEAR!" ENJOINED QUEEN ISABELLA,
WHEN THE METEORITE VAPORISED O'ER THE POLE.
"ALL TWENTY MILLION OF US MUST HIDE",
DECLARED STATISTICIAN FLOSSY FLO,
"IN ATLANTIS BELOW THE ICE,
"LEST WE TRAVEL WITH THE HUMANS TO THE STARS."
THE MOTHER PENGUINS FROM THE ROOKERY ON BIRD ISLAND
GUIDED THEIR YOUNG THROUGH THE LABYRINTH OF PINGU
TO THE HIDDEN CITY,
WHERE ANCIENT PETRELS STILL FLOURISHED WAY BENEATH.
CHILLY WILLY LED THE WAY FROM HALLEY,
FEATHERS MCGRAW NAVIGATED FROM ROTHERA ,
AND MUMBLE SLITHERED ALL THE WAY FROM SIGNY.
THE HUMANS EVAPORATED IN THEIR SHIVERING BASES
IN THE GLOW OF THE METEORITE
THAT DESTROYED THE ENTIRE ICECAP,
AS THE TEN MILE HIGH TSUNAMIS STRUCK.
BUT |ATLANTIS ROSE TO THE SURFACE
WHEN THE FURORE SUBSIDED,
AND TWELVE TUBE-NOSED, GIANT PETRELS
AND TEN THOUSAND PENGUINS EMERGED
INTO THEIR BRAVE, NEW, HUXLEYIST WORLD
WHERE EUGENICS STILL RULED,
CARRYING THE BONES OF SANCHO AND ISABELLA
ON A SHIP-SHAPED HEARSE.
MAYBE THEY'LL DO BETTER THAN THE SURVIVING,
OMICRON-STRICKEN HOMO SAPIENS ON NEW JERSEY,
THOUGHT THE ONE AND ONLY CREATOR GOD BRIAN SEAGULL,
HOVERING IN HIS SEVENTH HEAVEN ABOVE.
PERHAPS THEY'LL MATCH THE ORIGINAL HOMINIDS,
COMING IN FROM PLANET BORN AGAIN.
MOTHER EARTH MAY WELL RECOVER AGAIN.
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