Rabbits
in earliest tepid light
pause
beneath the swing set
before
pushing slowly off
to the cluttered
woodpile
cherry wood
stripped of bark
damp
from the clouds
of spring
and now the green buds
of mulberries
sweep heavily
across dawn
hesitant as hands
reaching out
to touch
gracile creatures
hovering in perpetual
transition.
Richard King Perkins II is a state-sponsored advocate for residents in long-term care facilities. He lives in Crystal Lake, IL, USA with his wife, Vickie and daughter, Sage. He is a three-time Pushcart nominee and a Best of the Net nominee whose work has appeared in more than a thousand publications.