tall tail

tall tail

 does emerge from the tall grass at the slope of my yard

stately now, and intent on feeding

the cold mornings have heralded the coming of fall and winter

yesterday a spring-born youngster wandered onto my lawn

curious about the california quail and tin bucket until

he realized mama deer was nowhere in sight

like a child, he splayed his feetin sudden sweeps of his head to look

and bounded off into the tall grass after her

what food? where?

what food? where?

 yellow grass tinted green

after three nights last week of misted dew

grown inches to create a flexible maze for curious

hungry california quail chicks to scramble through

heads bobbing up, to see; down, to eat

those question mark brow adornments wobbling as the dozen or so

willy-nilly take over my yard and conquer my sense of delight