The Common Myna

Some years ago I wrote this about the Common Myna:

The Common Myna

According to the Common
Myna

Life in Oz could not be
finer

Ample ecologic niches

Full of gastronomic
riches.

To refugees from lands
afar

The Aussie door is left
ajar

From the overcrowded
Ganges delta

Come Common Mynas seeking
shelter.

Mind you, stress can be
intense

When translocating
continents

To achieve an immigration
mission

You can’t dismiss the
competition.

Kites, magpies and
Currawong

All do their best to do
them wrong

Goannas, snakes and many
others

And don’t forget those
Kookaburras.

They steal their nests,
eat their young

When settling in has just
begun

And believe you me I do
not jest

When I say specific
prejudice.

Mind you one can
understand

These natives think it is
their land

Millenia of evolution

Occupation and collusion.

But it’s hard to
comprehend the hate

From the pale-skinned
primate

Also recent immigrants

From over crowded
continents.

These humans flaunt their
shameless skill

For destroying habitats at
will

Converting ancient forest
tall

Into ugly urban sprawl.

They eliminate all
competition

With poison, plough and
land division

And into fragile habitats

Bring rabbits, foxes,
toads and cats.

And thus it seems to be to
me

Such unashamed hypocrisy

Amidst destruction caused
by them

The Common Myna to
condemn.

Geoff Ryan

2010

Comments are closed.