Her face peered at me through tall grass
and we held our breath, 
still-lives in dappled light,
not sure of the other 
curious-wonder at meeting at all.

I spoke calming 
she listened

I stepped passing
she stood still.

We held each other with our eyes,
slow danced at the edge of the golden woods
on an orange October morning.

The moon and sun watched 
as the south wind brushed past the north 
to warm the day,
midnight frost trickled 
sliding off the brittle leaves swirling.

I moved away.

I felt her follow.

And, when I looked back 
she pressed closer stopped closer 

before crossing the gravel path

before leaping through the grass,
her white tail held high.

I watched her become the trees.

This poem previously appeared in Visiting Morning and Other Quiet Places (2008), 
Avocet, A Journal of Nature Poems (Fall/Winter, 2010) and A Prairie Journal (Fall/Winter 2007).
Used here with the author’s permission.