While You Were Away

While You Were Away…

While you were away, the snow came down

Covering the path to your house.

I tried to clear it for your return

But stopped to watch a mouse.

He lives under the tarp that covers my wood

And I never see him out in the snow

He knows that danger awaits outside

In the form of a huge, black crow.

The crow waits up in the old oak tree

That shelters our path in season

I feed him first, favoring crow to gull

Not clear on my rhyme or reason.

They saw each other briefly

The crow shifted claw on branch

The mouse froze on the snowy path

Dare he take the chance?

It was my fault, having tossed the bread

That I made the day before

Onto the path to your house

I had thrown it from the door.

The sky was blue between the clouds

All three of us stared out to sea

In a flash the crow dove for bread or mouse

The mouse moved faster than me.

The bread was gone, the mouse had won

The crow circled over the barn

I returned to my shovel to clear the path

Thankful none had come to harm.

While you were away, the snow came down

And you missed this winter’s play

When you come back I will tell you this tale

Next year…perhaps you will stay?

Tom Crowley

March 14, 2015

Lincolnville Beach, Maine