you’ve heard about the
cow tags I forget when we
quit stapling a metal clip
to their ears that worked
fine hardly cost a cent
but the new colored straps
cost a lot and often broke
we tried chains around
their necks these would
catch — one bonny bossy
nearly strangled herself
on the manure pile’s rail
erv fonda found a red strap
the other day long torn
off a cow — plowed under
I guess — it is now hanging
on a tree in his yard when
he came in the office I
poked an old invoice under
his nose erv I said those
things never grew on trees
This article appears in May 19-25, 2011.
