No Country for an Old Hen

My year-long odyssey into the various styles of poetry has taught me many lessons about myself. I enjoy getting lost in the world of rhyming words. There still isn’t one style of poetry I would choose as my favorite to write in. July is the perfect month to create a selection of free verse poems. This style of poetry has no rules, which I find liberating. They don’t have to rhythm, but I suspect mine will rhythm because that is how I roll. One of the poems I plan to share during this month of free verse is No Country for an Old Hen.

No Country for an Old Hen

From the beginning, it was all my fault,

 I lingered too long and got an unpleasant result.

I should have examined the rough and tumble terrain,

And made my exit; still, I chose to remain.

I should have paid attention to the obstacles and signs,

Filled with secrets and constructed with cruel designs.

There was subtle writing on the wall,

A collection of stories and a sirens call.

A whirl of whispers uttered  with a sly grin,

Telling me this is no country for an old hen.

In my stubbornness, I refused to leave,

I tucked my emotions under my sleeve.

And carried my burden up the steep hill,

Braced against the hot wind with time to kill.

I lay prostrate in the intense heat,

Unwilling to admit a plundering defeat

Laboring many years under a blistering sun,

Until I found the perfect opportunity to run.

I don’t know how I can begin

To tell you that place was no country for an old hen.

Who is Molly Shea?

Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh.  To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.

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