National Poetry Month 2014: Pearl Pirie,

ensconced in a bucket seat,

being present is the ultimate in ephemerals. one mood opens

all the rooms to that mood.

explore. behind that shelter there was a movement, a mound

of curious rounded rectangle

with an improbably thin tail which zig zags as if on an eroding

scent, chasing vapours.

see how it takes a dive at the snow. a second time, hits crust. a third time

he is in past his shoulder.

does he grunt the smallest ufffs bit by bit, in-ner, all in but the

oh, and all in.

people who almost miss a beat of their strides would never distinguish his dip

in snow from the general surface

uneven, blown, drifted, in night.

staring in the slanting snow with the flag pole’s soft clang

of rope, as pines shrug.

the gusts shift weight to my toes but mole shrew vole or

whatever name for grey pelted

he doesn’t leave his warm cover.  I am inside my travel, carriage, book,

words, head, away from hawks .

Pearl Pirie's most recent chapbook is Vertigoheel for the Dilly (above/ground, 2014). Next is forthcoming: Quebec Passages (Noun Trivet Press). A third collection is forthcoming. But you knew that right? Keeping watching BookThug in 2015. Check www.pearlpirie.com for readings, upcoming workshops. Beyond gigs to teach poetry she is one of 3 hosts on CKCU Literary Landscape, 93.1fm or www.ckcufm.com from anywhere with signal.