Out Here

Maggie Siebert

He grew tired of looking out the window all day
staring into the big undeveloped field across from the complex
way out on the edge of time
with his eyes glued to the clock in the upper lefthand corner of his
Airbook

He erased everything on his laptop
unplugged the charger
and turned it off.

Outside he stares at the field before him
watching the wheat sway and bend
with no pane of glass preventing him from bending with it.

He takes off his shoes and runs into the field
feeling thistles ram up through the soles of his feet
soft from lack of use
and keeps running until his left foot hits something wet and he slides
like a sucker on a banana peel.

He falls backward into it
and it squelches beneath his weight.

Sitting up he sees that it’s a dead dog or fox
or wolf
burst open by its own gases
in the decomposing sun.

It’s worse out here, he understands.

But inside what’s left of this animal
it’ll be easier.
Maggie Siebert lives in Brooklyn and co-edits HARSH. Her book, ‘Bonding’ is forthcoming from Expat Press.
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