National Poetry Writing Month - April 21, 2014

If you haven't gathered from past posts, I like animals. Actually, I love animals. Mainly the furry ones, but generally I like them all. Almost 2 years ago we had to endure the saddest day of them all when our beautiful dog Pepper (aka Pepperoni) left our lives. It's still difficult to think about.

Because of my love of animals, seeing a little dead one on the street is kind of difficult for me. I know there are thousands of squirrels and skunks and whatever, but it doesn't mean that they weren't cute to look at or watch in the grass behind the house. It made me wonder this morning what would go through the mind of them as they're crossing the road. I'll try and not be too morbid or graphic, but these verses won't end well.

The Last Steps

The grass is nice on my paws; not rough like the bark

Of the trees where I usually stay

Over there, across the hard grass, I see new trees

Maybe there's acorns that I haven't buried there yet

I'd better have a look

This lighter hard grass isn't so bad. It's rough and I can grip it

That darker one is what looks scary

Those giant, loud animals rushing by make my heart pound

But I can still see those new trees

I can make it, I'm sure of it

*hop*  *hop*  *hophophop* I'm on the dark hard grass

Oh no! One of the giant loud animals!

*runrunrunrunrunrunrun*  Too close. They don't even look

It's like they can't see me out there crossing

To the new trees. Now I'll try again

*hop*  *hop*  *hophophop* 

*runrunrunrunrunrun* I've almost made it. I'm almost there

The new trees are closer. I can smell their leaves

I can see the new acorns there.

It makes me pause. I'm awed by the sight of them all

...

I never heard the loud giant animal

I was amazed by the new trees and acorns I could see

I looked and there it was, almost on top of me

And then, there it was

...