other animals

the shallow hollows and grey-green hogbacks
of bark that anchor the pale house slippers
of a locust that stands in the
same soil where a hungry eye swims
it also wants nuclear heat

and clean water so I ask this
silent neighbor to kindly share
some cloudy day a parcel of
root or moss to be taken deep

into the moist bronchial dark
to nudge a forgotten seed to
shake and sway its liquid strength so

when leaves last fall in the light of
still stars a few green shoots may glow