Slowness

by D. Nurkse

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I found a turtle in the road,
happily sunning beside the median strip.
I wanted to move him to the safety of the berm
but I was afraid of a nip, a rash, ticks.
I tried to poke him with a birch twig.
He wouldn’t budge. I feared my scent on him.
When I came back with work gloves, he was a stain.
That small head lolled, hinged and stubborn in death.
I made a promise, don’t hope, just act.
I broke it driving north to you.

D. Nurkse

D. NURKSE is the author of ten books of poetry. Recent awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Literature Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

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