Inspired by a coyote with a white-tipped tail

Coyote Tails are Usually Dark

Down in the dim city creek
a shadowless gray slinks

upstream and away,
ghostly or just well-painted

to match morning rock and dry
things—except for one surprise:

a white-tipped tail-flag held low,
maybe to show

you’re not about
to surrender or negotiate.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Out hiking yesterday morning, this coyote and I surprised each other in Santiago Creek at Irvine Park. I shot a couple of quick (blurry in the low light) photos, and only when I got home did I realize that this was an odd beast: its tail tip was white instead of the normal black . . . which got me thinkin’ and writin’ the coyote poem, above.

Also on this hike: fun with dust . . .

 

. . .  and shadow shenanagins:

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