Beasts
by John Riley
It isn't for you to know
that as you sit in peripheral comfort
perhaps before a fire
trying to decide if this is the place
you dreamed of
because you know your thoughts
have no eyes
something wild moves through
your evening
perhaps a coyote
driven down from dry hills
has heard it is the night
you may embrace his embrace
or a fox fattened on dreams
of a farm house about to end
will settle on your lawn
with no regard of stars
or wind or even the tilt
of the chimney smoke
remnants of your fire
or it could be just a crow
tired of the wire
fresh from a funeral
and an hour of cawing
at the you beasts
walking by.
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Author's Note
Here's another. This one was published in Mockingheart Review
Other stories by John Riley
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"And" missing in the penultimate line? I like this, the wild brushing civilization.
"because you know your thoughts
have no eyes"
Really nice.
Amazing.
Good one, John.
****
What Jill said.
*
Yes! *
As important as closing lines are said to be, "peripheral comfort" did a fine job of getting my attention: "the you beasts" is in no way inferior, either.
Good work.
you beasts
Fine work, John.
Thanks to each of you for reading and commenting. I enjoyed writing this one.
I am chastened. "You beasts," of course. I feel so...so very dumb.
I agree with all the above comments - very impressive.
I really like the subjunctiveness of this poem - it renders it into a ethereal dream state. Also your subtle sparse half rhyme 'tired/wire' is perfectly timed.
Lovely lines in here:
"fox fattened on dreams"
"with no regard of stars"
***
Thanks Mathew for reading again and to Reva and Rachna for reading and your nice comments.
Great the way you incarnate the world as it is, us and our fellow beasts, blindly co-habiting.
Thanks, David
Beautifully done.
Thanks, Darryl
or it could be just a crow
tired of the wire...
Great work, John.*
Thanks, Tim