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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 37, Number 8. April 24 1972

A Small Shadow

A Small Shadow

Chopped down by swift black paws
By the path the dying hen lies in grass

Blood pumping, into the fresh sky
Feet kicking. Neck ripped open.

Yard and bleak henhouse behind.
Stacked bottles bring in morning

Sun. We walk around the victim, observing
That as usual death will not go away. When

We scold and beat our dog and
Walk back sighing, shrugging into the house, a

Small shadow falls on our backs. We
Know that at any time this could happen to us.

—John Gibb