Goats, Donkeys, & A Primate

just saying

Ever noshing, nosing about, 

eyes and ears alert for some thing or

other to nibble --

Erysichthon consumed his cooks

pots and pans, ladles, boats and stewards --

like a mowing maw to age’s unbounded avarice 

his appetite became the nation’s 

ex officio barometer to good health,

that instrument by which was measured 

how much one’s girth contributed 

to the collective wealth. To each 

commensurate their ungulate propensity 

to produce the sweeter scented malodor, 

a tithe cut, exemption from embarrassment 

of rooting out table scraps -- umble pies! 

Ken e Bujold

Reviews

[Lorry]

This brought to mind (probably by the first line, but it's continued theme too) of an old saying my mum had that "My eyes were bigger than my belly!"
I don't know if this is a uniquely Scottish saying, but it was her go to whenever I asked for a snack to keep me going until next feeding time.
I remember seeing a thing about the glutton club, a very well to do group, where you had to be over 25 stone (350 pounds) to join, because poor people couldn't afford to be that fat.
I think McDonald's put that club out of business though 😊

[Ken e Bujold]

saying exists here too. Eyrs' tale is a universal one. as sadly it would seem is the glutton's need to consume until there's nothing left but his own offal

[Arundass TP]

Beautiful lines. Enjoyed reading 🙂

[Neville]

having just consumed my thesaurus .. I am now indeed replete sir .. but then, its all Greek to me .. so yes, very eavy, very umble & much enjoyed .. Neville

[emmajoygreen]

Having resorted to a couple of books.. I can now say something like, 'You have left me with a dilemma, I need read this at least three times more; the language is incredible!' As a crass, simple user of words, I love to read words with six or more letters. Tis like listening to a symphony rather than rap.

Will now read again, think I might have to return to uni again, however. Aha, have just noticed something other Ken has said, Greek myth. Think there is a giant chasm in my education. Will continue reading, then, delete this rubbish review once something vaguely intelligent fills my plate.

[Ken e Bujold]

no need to delete. Ken is right, in that it stands on Greek myth of Eyrsichthon. Gluttony's prototype. But the gods of Olympus have all faded away now, so I had to update. Gluttonous spendthrifts in our day don't go bankrupt, they simply devise new ways to take more from the rest of us.
So, like I replied to Winston: this is mish mash of two of my favorite poets, John Ashbery and Ezra Pound, as though they were sitting down to share some nibbles over a pint or two, and then had the brilliant idea to call the village idiot (;)) to come and deliver the convocational address to next crop of venture capitalists. That my dear em is the Coles notes to this snide take on present-day economics.

[emmajoygreen]

' Gluttonous spendthrifts in our day don't go bankrupt, they simply devise new ways to take more from the rest of us.' Now that I would have understood, Ken. Many thanks for your gracious comments and the explanation of what was/is what. Aiming to learn something new every day, will do some research on that myth. Great ending to your above response, sir.

[Ken Simm.]

To me this is about much more than Greek myths. This is about all the various manifestations of greed and in that way it is an extraordinary write.

[Ken e Bujold]

you zeroed into the crux of it my friend

[Ken Simm.]

Phew. What a relief.

[W. Barrett Munn]

I have to admit you sent me packing to the dictionary with this, but once deciphered found delightful.

Winston

[Ken e Bujold]

let me guess? The Greek glutton. The sweet-smelling sow, and perhaps the wastrel pie?

This one had a life of its own. Was working on another piece, still in the hopper, and all of a sudden the introduction of a glutton turned the turnip on its head. Only way to go was to cleave this one from the other and craft it as a solo act.

Strictly speaking, Erysichthon ended up a pauper after being cursed by Demeter, but in this modern version that was a pig that wouldn't fly. We both know the fat cats today aren't about to go broke.

[W. Barrett Munn]

Pretty much

[Ken e Bujold]

this is ash sitting down to pint with Ezra, before calling up the class clown to recite the day's lesson :)

[W. Barrett Munn]

What I see most is the Irish influence of language and in language.

Winston