It is a beautiful day here
In Northeast Ohio
– light traffic, 54 degrees, no sun
Glare obstructing the view
Of what lies ahead.
The sky is overcast, cool
on the hood
Of the Subaru Crosstrek I pretend I own
But really belongs to a bank I hope
Is FDIC-insured.
In our vehicles, the birds
Must see us
The way we see them – as murmuration, as party
Of ruinously ruffled guests
Who are blue in the face.
Jacqueline Gerber, of WCLV 90.3
Reminds me that it is speed-dating season
For deer, so if they come
Sprinting from shoulder to shoulder
– Behind which trees are undergoing transformation –
It is best to brake, not swerve. Brake
Not swerve to avoid what lies ahead.
—
Jason Harris is a Black American writer. He served as co-editor to the book Light Enters the Grove: Exploring Cuyahoga Valley National Park Through Poetry (Kent State University Press). His writing has been published in several literary magazines. To read his work, you can visit his website https://jasonharriswriter.com/.
