Tallest Choice

(or The Giraffe said no)

the giraffe said no, and so it is, she’s tallest of God’s teamings

and gentlest too, both meek and mild

she peers where birds are dreaming.

but what did she rebuff, you ask me

for what virtue soars her neckline

what could that cow and deer-ish tree

have had if she didn’t decline?

Go ask the snake, I say to thee

that eel on grounded belly

for he knows well that suppressed hell

those groans sung a cappela

— there’d been a flash of light that day

a blue so pale and fragrant

and it had spoke of secret pay

for doing a matter flagrant

it wanted a host, was all it said

a body to play a game with

it spoke with words holding bliss and dread

and sweet were the doubts it framed with

but so opposite its flames from the Flame of Life

so unholy it’s whispers it built with

that each beast it encountered was tickled with strife

before touching the blade that it kilt with

Only the snake said yes to the job

that serpent which once flew the skyways

it craved for a bite from a much higher cob

and thus witlessly lost there the highways

other walkers of the earth

did tread the worm that season

to further ground his wisdom’s dearth

higher than he because of their reason

but none were first among the cattle

to wear a holy laugh

than she who’d known who to choose in battle

than the gentle and trusting giraffe

but it’s backwards say you, the highest are the proudest

you must fight, you must bend, you must bargain

to stand above beasts, to crow out the loudest

this is the crest of the dragon

but go study afresh, search the gardens of Terra

see if any peer above our tall camel-leopard

and you will find in this time, in this epoch, this era

the giraffe is the choice of Earth’s Shepherd!