in our acre of visited wood
you scamper over frail limbs pop nuts
into knots bite infant sprigs and free
leaves with those snappy tail swats
we follow you with questions
hoping you won’t settle down
watch you yank on our shadows
then dance around our laughter
we hear you tug on something
from a secret hiding place
scratch it out roll it towards us
as it stops just beyond our sight
something to definitely discuss
amongst ourselves later after we’ve
gotten out of our chairs to take a
look and you’re long shadow gone