By Patricia Cummings, Becketwood Member
The snow in the North Courtyard appears pristine
Still untouched by plow treads
Or cross-country skis
Or people’s deep footsteps.
Signs of life barely touch the white surface
The odd paw prints of
Small rabbits that live in the bushes
Busy marks made by busy squirrels
Searching for sustenance.
A peaceful vista from my window.
This morning I surveyed the Courtyard,
For the first time encountering
Evidence of violence.
Rabbit tracks coming from the east
Predator tracks converging from the west
A patch of snow disturbed by prey
And predator
A fox or a coyote perhaps.
Tufts of grey rabbit fur
A pile of something that might be
entrails
Snow stained red
And now the crows are feasting.
Our peaceable kingdom
Reflects our world at large
Painful to witness.
Thank you for these vivid images, Pat. Really striking both visually and emotionally.
A beautiful, sad, and strangely serene poem.
The reality of our world in living color. Thanks.
very striking — readers can see the details!
Thanks for the striking and thoughtful poem, Pat. Somehow it puts the larger world of human predation into perspective. Something like “Twas ever thus.” Reality just is.
Oh my, yes. You say it well. Deborah Padgett