the taxidermied bobcat at the nature museum comes to life [ Guy Cramer ]

straight out of fighting stance
says he was minding his own business 
when shot from behind

sorry mr. bobcat i say 
humans can be super shitty 

we get along 
he shows me his brittle claws 
asks if i’ll go to the woods 
& catch him a rabbit

 the ground is cold 
i strip naked 
roll in something dead 
climb up a tree 

                    contemplating 

what pose they’ll put me in 
should i be shot 
gutted & stuffed: 

the bored husband?
the absent father?
slumped over my cubical desk?
shape me into the likeness of my dad 
who never got out of bed?

will they latch my fingers 
to the guitar stored in my closet
supergluing a smile on my face for an empty room?

no no no 
i won’t go that easily