27 – At Province Lands

The red fox
near Race Point Beach
circles back as if to ask
“are you coming this time?”

We’ve met before,
he and I, here
on this sacred sequence
but I don’t recall him asking

it was more of a tease then
to this serious request
and I consider
for a moment following

through the pitch pine
and winter heath
into the dunes
lie on my back

forever to watch the stars
as whales breach
and moons rise over
my bare white bones

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Photo and Poem ©2024, Jen Payne. If you like this poem, you can read similar in my books and zines, available from Three Chairs Publishing on my ETSY SHOP. They come autographed, with gratitude and a small gift.