I sat outside today eating
Sushi and miso soup in the sun
Some squirrels came by
And stared at me hopefully
I put a bit of miso soup in the lid
And set it out for them
But they weren't interested
Then a gust of cold wind blew the lid over
And the soup was spilled
One of the squirrels went for the crumbs
In an old potato chip bag instead

A fieldfare visited your garden today,
The familiar blackbirds were chased away
They clung to home hedgrows, flew back and forth
Like me,  your garden is their true North

I worry, is it a climate change sign?..and you say,
Is it a problem? Should we shoo it away?
We decide to let nature do it her way,
To not intervene on this beautiful day.

The next morning I see that peace one again reigns.
The blackbirds are back in the bush by the lane.
The fieldfare has ceased terratorial fight
And the usual doves
Take their usual flight

coyote
          tried to take
a girl

          sunk his teeth
in to that girlflesh
          and ran

shot dead
           by the cops
in less than a day

strange
           that we are
judge
           jury
executioner

lawmaking
            legislating
binding
            animals to our humanity
when they know
             nothing
of our lives

            the girl lived
       bearing the mark of teeth
forever

the coyote perished
            for human vanity
revenge
            reciprocity

Keep the pace Keep the pace
Back and forth Back and forth
If you stop you’ll feel the pain
If you stop you’ll be afraid
Pacing Pacing no way out
Cage and Bars. Can’t get out
Feel the hunger, hear the noise
Slam! Kabaam! No choice No choice
Frightened. Hungry. No way out
Bang! Blast! Smoke. Shouts
Lightening Blinding Never stops

Keep the pace, Keep the pace
Back and forth, back and forth
To the sink and to the stove
Table set and dinner rolls
To the school To the store
Keep the pace Back and forth
If you stop you’ll feel the pain
If you stop you’ll be afraid
Vacuum cleaning, back and forth
Room to room, back and forth
Kids have practice Can’t be late
If you stop you’ll go insane
Keep the pace keep the pace

Bang! Kaboom! Lightening blasts
Zap! You’re down. No pain at last
No more cage, no more bars
Now it’s quiet. Lick the scars.
Walk in circles. Look around.
Is it safe? Is it sound?
What to do? What to feel?
Keep the pace. Can’t be real.
Back and forth. Back and forth
Keep the pace. Keep the pace

Wait.    Stop.   Settle Down
Danger’s Over.   Look Around
Coast is clear. No peril here.
Sniff and stare. Feel fresh air
One foot out is all it takes
One step out to leave this cage
Scared. Uneasy. This is strange
But one foot out is all it takes

drop to the ground.
They smash onto the tarmac
smothered by the city sounds
and the puffs of factories.

Jellyfish of man
they float in the sea.
Aliens in a different land
strangling stomachs.

Axes that berate the wild
****** the mightiest trees.
Felling them into piles
Incinerating into the afterlife.

The groan of the wild
destroyed by shouts of city life.
Humans create destruction
animals cease to thrive.

Holding on to dear life
on the highest branch.
The swamps become seas
with dead, poisoned lunch.

Yet our hearts wouldn’t shed blood.
Not a tear.
As we ****** these creatures
without death on our hands.