
dinosaurs are go!




a model spinosaurus
(the real thing was enormous
weighed 8 tons
and not much fun
to share an upstairs space with us)
stands by a pen pot
(a repurposed lobster can I got
that’s probably fake
but good to take
the scissors and pencils I use a lot)
waiting for its chance
as my words slowly advance
through the swamp
so it can chomp
on a swordfish or a coelacanth
across the road in scavenged boots and hat
past slanting signs, rusting cars and that
to a grounded train in an overgrown station
a mouldy notice with old information
if you see something that doesn’t look right
which you do when you light your fire each night
to toast your toes and roast your rat
and fight to keep yourself intact
while nature yawns and slowly rises
tired of the lies and compromises
finally ready to close the doors
and commute you like the dinosaurs
dinosaurs are go!
how they got here
I don’t know
but they’re swapping the swamps
for big city romps
neon sign dining
and downtown chomps
ain’t it just like T Rex
to pose and flex
before it wrecks
the shopping mall and the multiplex?
just listen to the roars
of Pterosaur
as it pterosoars
then pturns to pterrify
the ptraders on the ptrading floor
and heaven help those puny cops
in the armoured car that bangs and pops
as it runs up on sirens and fatally stops
by Ankylosaurus and Triceratops
the channel news helicopter
going for the wow factor
acts as distractor
for Velociraptor
while palaeontologists
are pilloried as apologists
by rancorous news anchors
and columnists
then … everything falls quiet
TOO quiet
nobody expected anything like it
the dinosaurs
resorting
to a more lawful diet
ten years later
everything’s straighter
Allosaurus working as elevator
Apple signed up with Baryonyx
to model hot brands of mobile phonics
Kimmel makes a fuss
with Parasaurolophus
saying Hey man it’s Paris for all of us
DJ Archaeopteryx
has feathers in the mix
with Aaron Dessner and Taylor Swift
but a dawn will break in the big city swelter
when they wake to the sun on the old river delta
and rising as one they’ll shiver their tails
to sweep all the people over the rails
those audacious, cretaceous, reptilian heirs
reclaiming a world that once was theirs
Ladies and gentlemen: The Velociraptor
a dinosaur with the wow factor
like Spielberg took his famous shark
and dumped it in Jurassic Park
(clever girl said poor Bob Peck
just before he got totally wrecked
as they used their claws to good effect
just feeling peckish I suspect )
but I looked ‘em up in National Geographic
who says their description is problematic
for one thing the creature was covered in feathers
not quite so mean as a villain in leathers
also they didn’t hunt in packs
so poor Bob Peck could’ve probably relaxed
they were actually the size of beefed-up turkey
a little less evil, a little more quirky
(and I don’t know if it’s particularly relevant
they could run as fast as an African elephant)
so all in all they’ve had a bad press
but they’re all extinct so they couldn’t care less
just a raptor supremely adapted
(and I wish I wasn’t so easily distracted)
there’s a dino loose in Barbieland
causing all kindsa tyrano-sized troubles
security gate buckles
converting convertibles
snacking on collectables
hot tub huddles
tossed down clean
the barbecue-themed
blue eyed couples
fixed smile struggles
the whole scene getting WAAAY outta hand
there’s a dino loose in Barbieland
he musta just bust out the Park I guess
dressed to oppress
feet to depress
a million gnashers more or less
scranning on guests
a grand design
for an ad hoc dine
(but I have to confess
very little finesse)
to the disco sounds of the groovy house band
