There’s little to inspire in stucco
stripmalls scattering southwest Florida.
I see three disappointing
Oscar-nominated films in as many nights.

Some birds are different, but still
some are the same as home—poor cardinal
as dismal amongst the palm fronds
as an Ohio girl perched on pale legs.

Spotting one of the supposed
pythons, gators, panthers, black bears
might ignite the night’s damp chill
with the urgent frolic of prey.

Instead I am homesick for winter-furred
squirrels, for bare oaks and snow, for my
usual movie theater where faraway film
beaches are gloriously far away.

Kerry Trautman is a poetry editor for Red Fez, and her work has appeared in various anthologies and journals. Her books are Things That Come in Boxes (King Craft Press 2012,) To Have Hoped (Finishing Line Press 2015,) Artifacts(NightBallet Press 2017,) and To be Nonchalantly Alive (Kelsay Books 2020.)