Tribute To A Vulture

Antithesis of avian beauty
Monstrosity of the bird family
Head and neck very hideous looking
In dull black wrinkled up unfeathered skin

Exposed decaying animal matter
Can produce unhealthy bacteria
That can endanger other life species
Threatening them with illness and disease

Consumption of animal carrion
Is part of your normal food ingestion
Though your appearance may cause revulsion
You fulfil a most essential function

Your motion on land is very clumsy
With those black legs you step so awkwardly
Yet when you take off to the air in flight
Your graceful movement is a pleasant sight

Riding air currents way up in the sky
On motionless wings you go sailing by
While cruising up there at such a great height
You still search for food with your keen eyesight

Though to some, you may appear unsightly
Your role in nature is prized most highly
You are indeed a most worthy creature
I pay tribute to you, noble vulture


Embedded image from another site
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Posted: Nov 2015
About this poem:
(iambic pentameter)

The vulture indigenous to my native Trinidad is the Black Vulture which is called "The Corbeau". As the poem says, they are very unsightly looking but once airborne, they become marvellous flying and gliding machines, and are delightful to view as they ride the air currents so effortlessly way up in the sky.

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Comments (10)

Redex
Loved your poem socrates and the bird too is not good to look at he enimates an evil vibe to memoping but he is a very good clearer uppererapplause So yes we can look at all things with different angles.cheering cheering
WILDANDREADY
WELL DONE SOCRATES! EVERYTHING HAS A PURPOSE IN LIFE! I"M SO GLAD YOU EXPLAINED HIS!dancing TRAVIS
avias
Socrates...Enjoyed your tribute to the vulture! Here in the Midwest we have the turkey vultures that are in same family as your native vulture. Altho they are not the most popular of birds, there is a festival, VultureFest, held in the small town of Makanda, Illinois that celebrates their Fall migration thru the area and the fact that the surrounding woods are roosting place for huge flocks of these birds.They truly are amazing with their enormous windspan and ability to catch the wind currents in such a way that they just seem to drift effortlessly!:
CallFromTheTall
Excellent poem. I think vultures are much under-rated amongst birds. They perform a vital role in clearing up the remains of other animals' prey. I have always been fascinated by them and even have a lovely cuddly toy version of a vulture at home. The flightless birds also intrigue me...emus, ostriches, cassowaries, kiwis, rheas etc. I enjoyed seeing wild ostriches in Namibia and farmed ones in South Africa.
socrates44online today!
Hi Redex

Glad you love the piece.
Despite its unpleasant appearance, a vulture deserves our respect for its "scavenger" role in nature.
socrates44online today!
Travis

Thanks for your comment.
Take Care!
socrates44online today!
Kathy
Thanks for your comment.
You may consider yourself to be plain
but the inner beauty, which I know you possess,
is much more important.
Nuwahri61
Nicely written Socrates.........Regards Nuthumbs up
socrates44online today!
mcradloff

Thanks for your comment. The main difference between the black vulture and the turkey vulture is in the colour of their heads.The former has a black head whereas the head of the latter is red, like a turkey's. I suppose that is why it is called a turkey vulture.
We also have those here but the black vulture is more common.

Here is a picture of a turkey vulture in flight:

Embedded image from another site
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Nu

Thanks for your comment.
Hope all is well with you.
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