Crickets

by Phoebe Anthus

After a lifetime of cricketing fun,
claiming shelter by leaf from the bird and the sun,
with adventure through many but malice by none,

did you know, you crickets who slipped through our door,
that you’d fall into hands who want nothing more
than to smash you to bits on the concrete floor?

Do you dream of heaven as a wide free space
with no mad woman of indignant face,
oh fool that you were to enter this place!

Go back to your birds your leaves and your sun,
make yourself scarce, I beg you, be gone!
Or I’ll hunt you by inches and kill everyone!

Phoebe Anthus is a stubborn artist with her head not so far into the clouds that she cannot notice the solid, sensible things as well.

Photography by Kenneth Godoy