It lay for weeks in the back pasture
quietly serene and some would say
even beautiful in its benign setting
without threat to anyone or anything
and even as it came closer and more
into view it offered a little past-time
reflection and curiosity for what it
might become but we laughed at
the thought that it was worrisome;
more like a little thrill for the idea
that danger would lie so close to us
and we stayed comfortable going
about our daily duties of whatever
seemed to be important or urgent or both.
In time it came to the garden gate and
that seemed a little closer than we had
anticipated or envisioned; a trifle more than
we had bargained for and a little uncomfortable
but then what was there to be worried about
since history and common sense told us
that there would be no danger for us; we
were above the line; privileged so to speak.
Then quietly and swiftly it entered the garden
and came to our very foundation
and we became alarmed and surprised
at our earlier complacency and so
we asked the authorities for a suggestion
as to a plan of action and were told not to fret
or worry, it would pose no real threat; just a minor
inconvenience and a little disruption to our daily
routine for a short time and so
we stood and watched
as it crept up the sidewalk and in through the door
and we knew too late that we would drown along
with the rats and the snakes and the occasional opossum.
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