(I'm gone for weekend but will return. . . . more from me on Monday.)
A Man with Tanned Rims
A man who prefers sun to shade drives north.
One hand on the wheel, the other rubbing
the rim of his ear. Both ears are tanned like a field
of corn ready for a combine. Hundreds of squirrels,
raccoons, and ground hogs run the rim of the other ear
as if on cue. They run the hilly path, tumbling
and scurrying fur through fluttering leaves as they
catch whiffs of skunk. Their own ears, alert and smooth.
Before reaching his destination, the critters return
along the rim to the secret cavern where they sit
huddled in a circle of deep darkness telling their stories,
one after another. Then they curl up and take
a welcome rest. The man’s ears are curved
and packed with slumbering fur.