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Scent of Spring
His back went up
stopping me in my tracks.
I backed up hastily
hands raised (as if that could protect me).
He hissed. We both walked away.
Ten paces later, I spotted his backup,
although the back and forth of squeaks and squeals
that soon broke the predawn silence
took me aback. Was this love or war
wafting through the air?
Jone, at Check it Out, has the Poetry Friday roundup this week AND she's announcing the Cybils Poetry Winner! Check it out, indeed!
Fun to see all the ways. . .
ReplyDeleteZing! Mary Lee, so glad you didn't get s k u n k e d! But how wonderful to see the sight of one ( I think.) I love everything about
ReplyDelete"Scent of Spring."
MaryLee, I read this right after I finished the posting for #NYEDChat on Respectful Disagreement.
ReplyDelete"Was this love or war
wafting through the air?" caught my attention immediately. I have never been up that close to a skunk but often smelled its unpleasant scent on Sunday drives when I was little.
Close call! We sometimes have skunks camping out under our front porch. NOT fun.
ReplyDeleteWe once had a family of skunks that made a home under our tool shed. We let them be. They never bothered our cat or us.
ReplyDeleteOh my, close encounter! Made me think of one of our family tales -- about a skunk in the chicken house and my husband's mother. Love your short narrative poem.
ReplyDeleteFantastic poem Mary Lee, you drew me right in and kept me there–I'm glad you didn't, or hope you didn't get sprayed.
ReplyDeleteWait--how did everyone else know you were definitely writing about skunks? Do you all run into them more often than I do? Or is this what I get for reading Poetry Friday on a Friday night with two glasses of wine in me? Fun to play with with one word many ways.
ReplyDeleteWhew! The word ‘scent’ made me suspect that a skunk was involved. So glad that you didn’t get hit with eau d’skunk.
ReplyDeleteHa! I love that you never have to use the word skunk. We KNOW....oh, do we know what is going on...and what is going on. I love this poem. Wonderful job.
ReplyDeleteThis poem stopped me dead in my tracks! I love the way you led me through with suspense through the very end!
ReplyDeleteI've come eyeball to eyeball with skunks, and so far haven't been sprayed. Knock wood. The key is to freeze and wait. And not have a dog on a long leash.
ReplyDeleteI somehow missed that it was a skunk too, until I read everyone's comments, then I went back and reread, and it seemed pretty obvious. Glad you got away without any lingering after effects.
ReplyDeleteI've had this EXACT moment happen on a morning walk. I just RETREAT - meanwhile Himself is trying to talk to them and talk them down. Um, nope. I'm gone.
ReplyDelete