~
A squirrel lie unfurled,
from end-to-end curled,

near a corner,
on the sidewalk,
by the street.

My dog stops to smell,
but she cannot tell

what chance there
befell her,
she greets.

A small gray squirrel
now gone to the world,

in soul,
but body
still keeps.

~
One trick was plenty,
the last one, too many –

The last one
too often
defeats.

The dog, she can tell
that something’s not well,

with the featureless
creature
she meets.

~
Death is by nature
not the best teacher,

but for those
left alive
in the world:

A lesson
now lost
on the squirrel.

From that moment on
all will be gone,

but the image
of dog and dead squirrel.
~
©2014, Marvin Welborn
13 August 2014. Revised 31 Mar 15.