To Henrik Ibsen
The whale
was born to the harpoon and flensing knife,
the rhesus monkey
to the scalpel blade,
and tyger, tyger lying flat
with foolish grin to play the mat.
Man is no more than this
but thinks he is, finds Lear bizarre,
admires Antony, approves his choice –
with reservations.
He knows his bacon though, and Norma Jean
won all the prizes live.
And all the prizes dead.
Living on Land 