Tara Broeckel-Ooten

Bref Double

curled up carefully on the roadside a kitten    Carefully
paws like Boots stained pink with blood      paws 
the children stare out windows going 60 and   and 
ask  ask
why? mother responds cats nap like the dead. why 
in the highway traffic the the
petite goose goose
rests. warm ebony bill shining with mucus rests
and her mate and
waits looking on wondering waits.

why don’t you rise up and take flight my darling?