cutting flowers in sun a pinched caterwauling behind no sign of a child peek around the dogwood glimpse a grey cat passing in its mouth a small eastern cottontail now silent limp dangles by the neck the cat walks body beneath to the evergreen shade rips at its prize I am near trying to see cat disappears I go around fence's other side wide-eyed rabbit sees me begins to move from side lying to upright and staggering comes toward me toward the fence pokes nose through slats where a sale flyer rests it retracts stops in the sun I back away look over the fence see the bright red hanging out along its side toward the back muscle bone or organ I don't know second wound behind it stays put I curse the cat not finishing off am I to blame? not my place not my yard no one home and no gun only hammer shovel spade and would not reach I walk away the robins hop the sun shines the flowers beam I go inside write this
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