I've had enough

Sarah

I've had enough – IV – rev
(27.10.2019)

There's going to be a storm.  I can see the tree tops swaying.  More than swaying—they are nearly bent in two.  I can hear them rustling even through the double windows.
Bang, goes the door.  That darned cat—has it got into my room again?  Despite the toy farm wedged up against the door?  (Why do I have nothing else but my grand-children’s abandoned toys to shore up that door against my nosy cats?  Always trying to get in there and scratch up my mother's brocade armchair or my grandmother's old Chinese carpet!)
Bang!  I'll have to go up and wedge it tighter.  Bang! bang!  Is that animal going in or coming out?  And which one of them is it?  Bang, bang.  Drat those cats!
Ah, it's not the cats.  It's the wind.  Push that farm up against the door and fix it in there with a tile from the floor.  (Drat those grandchildren for pulling up the tiles!)  Bang, bang!
I haven't heard from anybody for several days.  They must all be busy.  School, work, shopping, sports, drama groups, homework, housework, they always have something going on.  Well, I've got my puzzle.  And all those sheets from when they were here last week.  Bang!  Stop that!
Dr-r-ring, dr-r-ring.  That must be Ricky!  I've phoned him five times.  No.  Unknown number.  I’m not answering, no.  On principle.  Why do they bother one so?  Bang, bang!  Bang!  Is there nothing that will stop that door?
M-r-reow, m-r-reow.  What's with you cats?  You've been fed.  You've been more than fed.  Oh, you want me to sit down.  Bang, bang!  I haven't got time to sit down; maybe later.
Bang, bang!  Oh, you mean the wind.  Poor cats!  It's driving me bats too.  Bang!  My, god!  Will the wind stop?
Dr-r-ring, dr-r-ring!  Same number.  Maybe it's important.  Hello?  Hello?  Nobody there!  Bang!  Fuck you!  I hope they're listening.  Bang, bang.
Why doesn’t Ricky call back?  There's no point in trying any of the others, not at this hour.  Bang.  They're all at work or at school.  Bang, bang!  Bang!
This plant needs water.  Bang, bang!  Bang, bang, bang!
Oh, dammit! Take this! And this! 
And she heaved the plant at the window, which didn't break.  So she tore the phone out of its socket and heaved it after it.  And then the chair, which finally broke the window.  “I've had enough!” she screamed.  She sank down on the other chair, the only one left, and whimpered, “I've had enough.  I've had enough.”
+ 425 wds





____________________________________________________________
Annemarie

The Ambassador's Lament – I’v Had Enough

Below the spires of learned Oxford,

Beside the shining Cherwell waters,

I studied French and modern history.

My aim to be an English diplomat
Working for the Foreign Office,

(That place of privilege and mystery),

Attending presidents and queens and princes

In palaces and embassies and courts,

Regarding trade and other cultures,

Sharing grubby secrets of the state

And sometimes mending fences,

Then sending back my long reports.

I imagined luscious luncheons and busy banquets

Drinking Scotch and bubbly Bollinger,

Canapés, pâtisseries and caviar.

Then I had some foreign postings

- To China and to Africa, to India and Norway,

Where in return for Britain hosting

I must eat what others offer.

Chitterlings from pigs'  intestines,

Smelling like putrescent bins;

Mopani worms and bunny chow,

Swallowed sickly, downed with drink

While the guest of Cape Town's latest author.

Just along the Bergen shore way,

Dining with the newest NATO link

And discussing Norway's naval state

I thought it very funny how 

I had to brave the smalahave and again the dreadful dravle,

A milky sweet with floating curds of cheese.

But worst of all was lutefisk,

Old fermented fish immersed in lye,

Gelatinous and very slimy,

It almost had me on my knees.

Then on to China's oriental land

Where many dinners had been planned.

With determination and diplomacy,

I emptied bowls of birds' nest soup

And put myself at greater risk,

By eating chicken feet  and baby mice.

I emptied every bowl and my host refilled it every time,

With rooster's testicles and other stinky stuff.

Until I pleaded, “Show me mercy;

Not another slice at any price-

Too many festivals - I'VE HAD ENOUGH.”

_________________________________________________________


Jackie's interpretation of "I've had enough"

I’m–out of breath all puffed out and gasping for air.    Since I got up this morning poked my nose outside my burrow it has been one long run from those hunters.    My friends the foxes, badgers, deer and wild boar are all on the alerte.     It is that time of the year when we have to be watchful and are listening to the sounds of footfalls in the forest – twigs cracking and hunters shouting to each other guns at the ready – waiting to shoot us down strip us of our flesh and eat us for their supper.   

 October to end of February is nightmare time for us animals.  The hunters are usually only active during the day but recently some of them have set up night cameras to watch our movements and track our homes.  How dare they do this.   Give us some peace humans.      Our friend  badger recently came face to face with one of these cameras and his face was reflected back at himself – gave himself quite a scare.    He quickly moved his family from their den to another place in the woods – checking for footprints pricking up his ears and  listening for other human signs.

from September to February – wide awake and always on our guard the winter months are the worst for us animals.    A few of us are very lucky to be able to hibernate – digging deep retreats in the earth under large trees or in hedgegrows we are able to escape from the hunting men 

The worst is those dogs.     Shut up all year round the hunting dogs are released after having spent months cooped up in cages sometimes and at best a small courtyard.   They are hungry for exercise and the taste of blood – our blood  waiting to pounce and tear us to pieces. 

Those dogs act upon commands and when the whistle blows they either just go hell for leather and leap into water , jump over logs and just generally want one thing in the world above all and that is to please their masters and boy can they run fast. 

I’ve had Enough of this carnage,  enough of all this shooting killing and eating meat

Leave us alone you human beings let us live our lives quietly