Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 22 (June 1999).
From a jungle planet
In a system far away
Came a monkey king
to fight for the simian way
Riding in a saucer
Bananas piled high
He lands in Bronx Zoo central
To the surprise of many an eye
Back-pack rockets fire
And he’s headed on his mission
Gonna free some monkey brethren
From another evil prison
Landing in the monkey house
Finding that which he seeks
Monkeys, monkeys everywhere
Locked up in steel links
Pent-up monkey anger
exploded in his rage
He drew his laser pistol
And blasted all not in a cage
It’s a silly image
Monkeys flying here through space
Coming to Bronx Zoo
And putting us in our place
But a billion monkeys have lived
And a billion more have died
Should it really surprise us
If one learns to project his mind?
Particles are entangled
Space and time have strings
With worm holes through the universe
Why not an avenging monkey king?
Poem copyright © 1999 by Hathno Paige <hathno email either>
Artwork “Monkey Rex” copyright © 1999 by Billy Tackett
