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Friday, January 6, 2012

For Real Toads: my inner animal

Today a feisty lady known as Fireblossom has challenged everyone in, or near, or  even curious about the writers' group Imaginary Garden with Real Toads to write about our own animal within.
She mentioned some words which are magic to me. One is "sloth"! I connected with my inner sloth long ago, and have blogged about it twice, once in 2009:
and once in 2010, with photos:

My inner sloth pretty much controls my life, and it interfered with a lot of things before it began interfering with blogging. My inner sloth doesn't hang from trees and feed on leaves. It lives inside me and feeds on physical pain.
However, meek, mild-mannered Auntie Kay has a dark side, too, and it erupts when a threat to a weaker being is perceived.
Fireblossom mentioned "mama grizzly" and my mind flashed immediately to that well of adrenalin I call my "mother bear instinct"! It is sometimes hard to imagine a weaker being than I, but whenever I realized a child, a small animal or, more recently, my frail and elderly parents or the other patients in the care facility, needed me to help, I'd be there with no thought to spare for the pain in my feet, my back, or my internal organs.
Wikipedia photo of
reconstructed Giant Ground Sloth
I become that extinct animal, that cross between a Canadian grizzly and a Costa Rican sloth, the Giant Ground Sloth, but I don't confine my rescue missions to the ground. I've been known to climb ladders (which I can't usually do) and swim (which I do badly) if I hear a scream, a squeak or even a whimper from a source I identify as needing me.
*
under my unprepossessing exterior
hides an animal greatly superior
who isn't so mild
whenever a child
needs someone to be big and scarier
*



Not much of a poem, but a poem was required for the prompt, and I never seem to get adrenalin rushing to the aid of my muse.



8 comments:

Fireblossom said...

*claps hands*

I'm so glad someone honored the sloth! I just loved reading this post. That ground sloth looks like a critter to steer clear of! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this, Kay.

Mary said...

Very honest post, Kay. I think we all have things which interfere with our blogging sometime. Hopefully we can fight them off at least the majority of the time. Good luck as you wage war on your 'inner sloth.'

Lolamouse said...

Wow-that giant ground sloth looks intimidating! Never thought sloth and intimidating could be used in the same sentence! It's amazing what we mild mannered creatures are capable of when we see others threatened, isn't it?

Jinksy said...

Your little ditty at the end deserves a medal! I too champion the small and needy. ♥

Doctor FTSE said...

There's much to admire in your preamble and in your verse. Thank you.

Marian said...

agreed, i admire you, Kay. thanks for sharing and being real. xoxo

Susie Clevenger said...

I hate it when life interferes with my blogging...I am addicted :) So glad you raise your growl for the small ones!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Oh, I hear ya, sistah! Inner sloth PLUS warrior woman when such is needed.