i sat so long
watching treetops dance
in water reflection
i must have seemed
stone
or stump
to the squirrel
scuffling
through the leaves
busy about
his usual business

when his search
brought him
to my shoes
i guess
i lost my nerve

fearing
he would climb on me
and then
realizing his error
scratch me in fright
i spoke to him
instead

i must have seemed
cougar
or timber cat
hissing out
a nervous
whispered
hhhiii!

of course
his eyes grew wide
in terror
of course
he ran away
from the man
who blew
his golden chance
to be tree
for a day