Myxomatosis Victim

His puffed up lids around his eyes had closed And from his pupils shut out light of day And he could not see me though I stood quite near Down wind from him less than a yard away. His little blown up face had sickly look As he stretched before me in the mid day sun 'Methought' man found more painful ways to kill Than with bow and arrow, steel jawed trap or gun. 'Methought' one moment I'll go fetch a stick And put an end to his great misery One tap on head, his end painless and quick But then again I thought I'll let him be For it's been said that where there's life there's hope And though quite sickly he's still much alive And there is still faint hope though very faint That he might beat the disease and survive.