on our early morning stroller walk today
we see the first fawn of the year
a tiny spotty puppy-sized mule deer
grazing in the gambel oaks with its mama
the waning gibbous moon setting behind us
through a grove of cypress
the sun rising ahead of us
filtering through fluttering aspen in the creek
by what will be your elementary school
we hear a woodpecker
pecking out its morse code mating call
staccato on the stucco side of a house
all the way down the street we see rabbits
and using your word for them
we call them out together
big munny
little munny
big munnies stock still by the russian sage
little munnies hopping around in the grasses
big munny by the juniper bushes
little munny running across the street
big munny ducking underneath the cedar fence
little munny hiding in the drainage pipe
as we turn the corner
to head back up the trail
the sun at our backs
casts my shadow long above the stroller
and i bend over you to look at you
to see your quiet watchful face
big munny
little munny
