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Reece Burkaauthor
NolaVie

The poetic city: “The Alligator King”

Oct 27, 2020 • Creative Writing

The Alligator King 

 
Deep in the heart of the Atchafalaya basin
the Alligator King reigns as the baddest 
of the bad.
 
He revels in his power and dominion 
over all the lesser creatures of the swamp  
from whom he demands fealty and sacrifice. 
 
Those who oppose his power end up 
as meat for his ravenous maw. 
 
The Alligator King expects to live out his life 
wearing the crown until he passes 
on to alligator heaven…
 
There he plans to spend eternity 
resting on his laurels and reliving 
his conquests. 
 
And who can say that he is wrong?
 
If life teaches us anything it is that 
even the baddest gator in the swamp
sometimes dies a happy death, 
 
Never knowing or understanding 
that for all his victories, the king of
the alligators is still just an alligator. 
 
Reece Burka 
9/20/2020

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