Coyote appears
And walks across Janet’s yard
Onto Nancy’s lawn
(Faded russet and white fur
glistens in morning sun)
Carrying a Princeton squirrel or a
Black feral cat in her mouth
I cannot tell
I can see only helpless legs
Trickster
More at home in ochre and sienna desert sand
Than blue and green New Jersey streets
I stand still and watch
As she approaches me
and passes
Spilling unsuspected, spirit magic
Corn pollen prayers remain
For days until absorbed
By mundane suburban soil
Still, I do no open back doors for my cats again
Michele Bouchard lives in West Windsor. She is studying painting at Mercer County College and is a member of the West Windsor Senior Center writing group.
