coyote sat on a throne of branches
yip, yip, yip, he decreed
rabbit complied as best she could
deer committed the order to memory
wolf went on his business
crow started a revolution
bobcat scratched at the throne
the branches snapped
and coyote fell to the ground
twisting his hind leg
four years later he still lifts it extra

Monomorium minimum
little black ant
drags 20 times its weight
a superhero hated
a superhero unnoticed
wreaks havoc at the church picnic
drags away the crumbs of sweet bread
humans run and scream
slapping themselves
destruction at its most unintentional
little black ant at the center

shooting birds in the dark
can’t use eyes
use memory of the past
and sound of their song
be accurate
stray bullets have consequences
steady hands
steady mind
hysteria won’t do
they’re just birds
but kindness is necessary

black spider makes its home
spins thread under my bureau
upside down man on the floor sees
we seek but do not find
ever vigilant for a predator
but black spider goes about its business