before flying
they skedaddle
a blur of skinny legs
but unlike a fast typist
blazing over the keyboard
for a deadline document
they move in switchbacks
quite irrationally from fear
desperate to escape under
or through some dark slit
or freeze in a shadow
a foot must be very fast
and very lucky
to smash their retreat
expose the brown juice
from their bodies
even then
they’ll twitch
after they die
probably a shiver
of regret
running
before flying