Hairy Beast . By Ann Christine Tabaka

As summer closed to an end

a carnival came to town. 
There was one sideshow tent with

“Amazing Abnormalities”

written over the flap. 
This piqued my interest,

so I decided to step inside.

Among the many oddities,

there was one that clearly stood out.

The sign read “Harry the Hairy Beast.”

He was covered with hair everywhere,

except for the top of his head.

Eyebrows that covered his entire forehead,

his bearded face a grotesque mask. 

His back looked like a bear skin rug,

all matted in a wild black tangle.

On his massive chest, a curly vest of

sheepskin, begging to be played in.

The hair on his belly was so long

that it flowed below his penis.

When erect it looked like some

comical nose protruding from his groin.

Muscular arms were woolen sleeves

that kept him warm in winter.

The many tattoos barely perceptible

under that mass of hair. 

His large thighs and calves

wore a pelt so thick,

he could be naked and no one would notice.

Alas, his shiny bald head stood out

like a bowling ball placed upon a

huge fur covered mantel. 

He was the epitome of a hairy beast,

and loved by his Beauty so.

Ann Christine Tabaka was nominated for the 2017 Pushcart Prize in Poetry, has been internationally published, and won poetry awards from numerous publications. She is the author of 9 poetry books.  Christine lives in Delaware, USA. She loves gardening and cooking. Chris lives with her husband and three cats. Her most recent credits are: Burningword Literary Journal; Muddy River Poetry Review; The Write Connection; Ethos Literary Journal, North of Oxford, Pomona Valley Review, Page & Spine, West Texas Literary Review, The Hungry Chimera, Sheila-Na-Gig, Foliate Oak Review, Better Than Starbucks!, The Write Launch, The Stray Branch, The McKinley Review, Fourth & Sycamore.

Website: https://annchristinetabaka.com