THOUGHT FOR FOOD/TIN EAR

THOUGHT FOR FOOD

Coyote watching people

under bright awnings

at the Saturday farmer’s

market, squeezing

a peach or avocado

for ripeness, sniffing

at the rough skin

of a cantaloupe,

weighing a rutabaga

or potato in the palm

of a hand; or judging

the freshness of

a loaf of bread. Strange,

it occurs to him, that

everyone must eat.

In his mind’s eye

he sees seven billion

human mouths at work,

seven billion human

mouths grinding,

chewing, swallowing;

seven billion human

bellies churning away

in the digestive process;

and seven billion human

rectums dumping shit.

Strange when you begin

to think about it, thinks

Coyote, ruminating.

TIN EAR

Coyote must

confess to having

a tin ear; just

listen to his song.