nearing the end of childhood
we get to the Smokies mid-afternoon,
unpack and start a snack,
on my way to walk the bounds,
just outside the front door,
a movement, down by the creek, grabs my eyes,
a mother bear and two cubs!
the same I watched a few weeks ago up here,
as then, they eat acorn after acorn they find,
binge-snacking, including loud cracking sounds,
as walnuts gave up their calories
for mama's winter milk for the cubs,
the young ones repeated mama's actions,
sniffing out acorns, thrusting dry leaves out of the way,
looking quickly up and around to check for danger,
one cub always stayed near mama,
one ventured further, to explore,
I know which cub left paw prints on our front storm door,
I backpedaled slowly , as the distance to mama increased,
and I didn't want to make her worried,
I must have snapped 60 pictures,
some of an alert impressive mother,
most of cubs I have rarely seen so much,
full of themselves, in their element,
each with a distinct personality,
after 45 minutes or so,
they quit foraging in this neighborhood,
crossed the creek and went somewhere,
as they all followed mama's impulses,
I sit down by the creek and write these notes
as dusk slowly swallows the light,
I feel as alert as the bear,
for I do not know who might come by,
like the bears, I too am an unannounced visitor here.
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