Once upon a time <br />there was a meeting of <br />all the animals <br />in the forest. <br />They met, happily, <br />under the giant oaks <br />for shade and <br />protection <br />and comfort <br />and, <br />above all, <br />because <br />it seemed to be <br />the right thing to do. <br />You know, <br />oakey dokey. <br /> <br />One of the creatures, <br />an older one, <br />with long fur, <br />and pretentious lips, <br />and very long horns, <br />suddenly stood up, <br />stretched, nodded <br />and let out <br />the loudest, <br />most disgusting <br />FART. <br /> <br />Now, mind you, <br />even the most <br />vile, malodorous <br />cloud of viciousness <br />will dissipate <br />rather rapidly <br />in the open air. <br />It's called <br />airing out. <br /> <br />So, no harm done. <br />Right? <br /> <br />Yet, when the same <br />creature, <br />the older one, <br />with long fur <br />and pretentious lips <br />and very long horns, <br />came back <br />at the next meeting <br />she wasn't welcome <br />at all. <br />By anyone. <br />At all. <br /> <br />But she also <br /> had, <br />being older, <br />very bad ears. <br />So she was <br />the last one <br /> to get the hint. <br /> <br />And she, <br />being older, <br />with long fur, <br />and having <br />bad ears, <br />and pretentious lips, <br />and very long horns, <br />also was suffering, <br />or perhaps enjoying <br />a poor sense <br />of smell. <br /> So she never knew <br />about the rotten <br />and smelly <br />interior. <br /> <br />But it was <br />another shortcoming <br />and they all <br />knew it <br />and they all <br />told her. <br /> <br />And finally, <br />the penny dropped, <br />right before <br />her next <br />FART.<br /><br />Herbert Nehrlich<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-smell-came-back/
