A Melody of Fortune

para matteo

there once was a persistent swine
who saw a tick on the tip of its tail.
he'd whip away at it
with a hard deliberate flick.
he'd flick and flick
until he dizzied himself into the mud.
he coughed up a breath and snorted
rolled onto to his back,
hooves all spread grazing air.
in the light he watched the tick pounce
onto the center of his girth,
humming a little tune:

" i know you want me gone
but i'll never say so long.
i know you want me gone
but you'll learn to succumb,
cause i always get what i want,
i get what i want: 
free meals, free rides, free livin
you just gotta lay there and give in."

with a smile and a nod, the tick tapped around
flew up to swine's snout
and continued his hum.

~ Jessica M. Wilson