FRESH CALF

Posted on September 12, 2014 by | 4 Comments

IMG_0141

 

That first day, licked clean
of placental packaging
that draws bears and coyotes—

her rough caress
brings hair and flesh alive
to shine with innocence

trying to hide in short feed:
that initial blank page
that can never be retrieved.

 

 

This entry was posted in Photographs, Poems 2014 and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

4 responses to “FRESH CALF”

  2. evelyneholingue's avatar evelyneholingue | September 12, 2014 at 9:49 am | Reply

    So precious. I already wrote it but calves are for me the most adorable animals. Foals and lambs are very nice too! But to see a baby calf is lovely.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Lisa Vankula's avatar Lisa Vankula-Donovan | September 13, 2014 at 2:48 am | Reply

    Love the line, “trying to hide in short feed”, It’s good you can get so much inspiration from the world you are in. I don’t know many cowboys that would care much beyond the job at hand.

    Like

    • John's avatar John | September 13, 2014 at 5:44 am | Reply

      …or so it sometimes seems, Lisa, we are a posturing bunch. I try to live by the credo: ‘make life rich’, but do so requires getting in touch with yourself in the moment. The image of a fresh calf evokes in me, and others judging from Evelyne’s comment, the ultimate innocence. Perhaps the sense of helplessness and dependence when left out in the open thinking it is hidden locates a vulnerability within me that is multiplied many times over as calves begin to appear everywhere now. Another (semi-) blank page as we begin another season. Thanks for your comment and so many looks at bugs.

      Like

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