—I’VE BEEN TRYNA FILL UP ALL THIS EMPTY

Thicket

I watched a

fawn traipse

through the lawn

this morning

agile and uncertain

yet graceful like a

dancer pointing

in her shoes

each tic of sound

causing her to test

the air the way

the hunted never

trust the trees

I let her take down

every plant and flower

because she was

such a beauty

a bit of wonder and

magic wearing fur

with those

foxglove-looking ears

that glistening wet nose

and when I

opened the window

she remained in a

state of repose

her eyes fixated

eyes like two

shimmering

brown moons

so I read her the

poem in my head

with all the inflection

and feeling I’d believed

while writing it

and after I finished

she gave me a nod

and smiled before

disappearing

into the thicket

like the fickle

ghost of joy