In Wait
patience is
a pet
that lies in wait
for hours
they go to sleep
for years
with two door knobs
in their ears
and even when
at last
they hear the music
play
and cue the dance
of tap
they wait in line
behind
the bags of produce
product
books and ballet
they are but
the remainder
of the day
the last light
of dawn
they scrounge around
for the love
that’s left
devouring the crumbs
they eat their meals
as if they’ve never tasted food
and out the door
they run
as if the trees had never stood
trembling
they lift their nose
to the bird
and press it down
to the bug
they sniff the green off the grass
the dust off the dirt
the bark off the limb
they pause
with one paw up
and take it in
as if it is
their very being
TL