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CUTTING DOWN THE FIG IN ROYAL PARK
a melbourne zoo horticulturalist/ a
big pole saw in his hands/ was cutting
down the limbs from a morton bay fig/
nicki & i approached him whilst we
were walking our dogs/ excuse me why
are you killing this old tree: i said/
he frowned/ turning his back towards
us/ they are making this park natural:
he said/ the morton bay fig is not
native to this area/ besides the big
primates in the zoo eat the leaves/
excuse me careful where you stand: he
told my friend/ then our dogs growled
around his ankles/ as a clump of branch
& leaves came crashing down/ missing my
cheek by inches/ i said: you are so
concerned with naturalness/ what about
the melbourne zoo/ how natural is that/
how native is that/ smiling he said:
you are entitled to your opinion/ but
if you continue to harass me i will
call the police/ & i heard the sirens
along victoria parade & saw the flashing
emergency lights/ as the caged monkeys
starved to spiritual death/ & were fed/ as
the last branch fell/ for a natural zoo | 
