talking to animals
goodnight, Woody
we cheerfully say
wishing the pack rat in the shed
sweet dreams
(or a productive evening, I suppose)
I bring the hummingbird feeder in
and start to retrieve the chairs from the deck
when a bit of electric green zips to me
hovers about my face as if to say
I was still working on that!
I’m sorry
I say out loud
I’ll bring it back
then hurry to the kitchen
like an apologetic waitress
hang it up
then call to her in the fading light
when the mountains outlined in kohl
send their snow-white glow
out like moonshine
here you go!
we dream of talking with animals
(manage it with pets)
and once I read an instructional book:
clear your mind
the animal will insert images –
but nothing arrived
here, living with wild lives every day
it seems possible
that they might understand a soothing tone
trust a slow, calm movement
teach us what to say and how
improve our boorish manners
come into relationship
with some well-meaning bumbling apes
