rooster with white feathers

That Rooster Gotta Go: To The Tenderloin Rooster

The cock crowed more
Than three times today.
Silver crossed palms
Silver spiked forearms
Silver in veins
Silver threaded pain
That Rooster gotta go!

Dump truck alarm call
Radio station noise
Call and return
Between the corner boys
Fire truck sirens
Cops join the party
Rooster's yelling hearty.
Don't you know, man,
That Rooster gotta go!

This city's not meant
For early risers
Cocky spur fighters
At at first lighters.
This city sleeps in
And the mermaids 
Weep poison while an
Earthbound Poseidon -
Trident spear's stolen - 
Yells at the dawn
In language forgotten:
The sun ain't just 
Yellow, it's a chicken;
That Rooster's gotta go!

Being precious about 
Silence, the kind of
Person that noise
Drives to thoughts
Of violence, 
Is never gonna wash
In this hustle and 
Bustle, earning 
A crust for the
Birds, a cent for
The words, a bowl
Of ramen: a chicken
Scented, no harm done,
Kind alternative.
"He's gone to live
On a farm! Happy 
Ever after. A 
Few hens to look
After, chicks need
A father...." 

It is too quiet 
In the mornings
Now he has gone
To live in Sausalito
Or where ever
The birds go.
Did the rooster
Really have to go? 
And what will we 
Do now the bird's
Flown the coop.
Is anyone really
Free in the city?
Does anyone care?
It's such a pity
That the Rooster 
Had to go!




4 Comments

  1. slpmartin

    You reminded me that one of my neighbors used to have a number of chickens…and more than one rooster…one apparently like the evening sun more than the morning sun…so who crow a sunset…maybe he wasn’t an early riser either. 🙂

    1. The Paltry Sum: Detroit Richards

      My kinda guy! Crowing the sundown is far more civilized. I work very early in the morning, but like a little peace and quiet. The rooster had to go. There is no city ordinance against roosters in SF, which I found hilarious. I guess they didn’t expect anyone to actually have one out here!

      1. slpmartin

        Well, I looked into San Francisco’s regulations on keeping animals and found the following:

        Hosting four or fewer chickens (or combination of small animals) in residential districts does not require any special permits, according to the San Francisco’s Department of Public Health. Regulations include the following guidelines and requirements to ensure appropriate compliance.

        The combination of four or fewer small animals legally allowed includes:

        Dogs of age six months or older unless part of a dog kennel
        Hares, rabbits, guinea pigs
        Rats, mice, gerbils
        Chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, doves, pigeons, game birds of any species or cats
        The small animals must be kept in coops and enclosures approved by the director of Public Health. The coops and enclosures must be 20 feet from any door, window, or human habitat. The animal keeping may not be for commercial purposes in residential districts. In industrial and commercial districts, small animals may not be kept for commercial purposes unless a proper permit is secured from the Department of Public Health.

        Seems someone did think of it, but not fully. 🙂

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