Vixen
Meductic,
New Brunswick.
She climbs up from the head pond
a ripple of red and orange over the highway.
As quick as a fox, they say:
black socks, brush winter-thick
held high and proud,
as quick as a shadow
melting into dark woods
on the highway’s far side.
She is followed by her cub
who is not quite as quick.
He is struck by a truck
and ground into the gravel.
The fox-stink of memory
clings to my nostrils
like slow-motion death
dreamed at night
frame by bitter frame.
Now a night-time of silence
falls from the lips of fading lovers.
rogermoorepoet 
I like the last two lines best.
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Indeed: you must drive past the bodies, as I do. I hate it when I see the raccoon families dwindling, all following mama, 5 babies, 4 babies, 3 babies, 2 babies etc … so sad.
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An expanded metaphor based on the earlier lines. I probably got my comments mixed up. So happy to see you here, Jane.
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A sad poem in many ways.
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We have a fox den in the woods. Last year one of the kits was up on my deck. Fortunate for them, I live on a private street where the traffic moves slowly. My old house out in the country was road kill grand central…sad.
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“Road kill grand central” love the phrasing but hate the reality of all those dead animals. Of course, when you hit a moose around here, it’s not just the animal that dies.
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My brother lived in New Hampshire for a few years. I remember that reality. We don’t have anything that big around here, although deer can be a problem. Moose are huge! I saw a young one in Maine once up close (from my car)…amazing animals.
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I met one on the high once, at dusk. Set my heart pounding. Luckily she headed off into the woods, but wow!
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They are mighty! What an awesome memory.
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All I really remember is how frightened I was, how my heart was pounding, and how happy I was not to have her any closer to the car! Saw one / awesome: I was indeed in awe. We get footprints through the garden sometimes and we see them regularly when travelling.
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I know what you mean about the corpses on the road. Way too many. I love the colour of country foxes though, and your description is lovely.
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A new one every day: porcupines, groundhogs, raccoons, foxes, skunks, deer, domestic cats … the occasional moose … thank you for your comment and thanks for visiting.
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Here in the UK more likely to be foxes, badgers, and the occasional deer… I reckon folk are going faster than they need to go…
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I now live in New Brunswick, Canada. Here, the highways cut across the feeding grounds and the watering grounds. Many animals are forced to cross roads if they wish to follow their traditional routes. They were here long before us!
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Absolutely so – people are so certain they are in control. Not so!
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Nice imagery.
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The snakes and ladders of today’s wild life: lifeless bodies beside the road most mornings. This is a golden oldie, re-discovered and re-worked. Thanks for commenting.
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