In My Neighbor’s Yard
All day at home alone under cloud cover.
From a window, I watch
two deer dancing on back legs as they feed
with upstretched necks on Granny Smiths.
Because of a mute darkness in me, I am
drawn toward a brooding cloud hunching over
the leafy maple floating between the apple trees
and me. Soon, a fawn and doe walk up
the narrow path from the river and pause
until someone in the distance drops
a galvanized pail hinged to chance,
breaking the frail spell, urging sixteen
delicate legs to scatter together
toward the steep green woods.
All day at home alone under cloud cover.
From a window, I watch
two deer dancing on back legs as they feed
with upstretched necks on Granny Smiths.
Because of a mute darkness in me, I am
drawn toward a brooding cloud hunching over
the leafy maple floating between the apple trees
and me. Soon, a fawn and doe walk up
the narrow path from the river and pause
until someone in the distance drops
a galvanized pail hinged to chance,
breaking the frail spell, urging sixteen
delicate legs to scatter together
toward the steep green woods.