Trapping
by Pamela Den Ouden
Martens
Cushion themselves
Against the cold
With moss-lined homes
In hollowed-out cabin-cozy trees
Females
Carry twins or triplets
Nine months
Born in April
By October are big enough to survive alone
Bones
Of mice, rabbits, squirrels, and birds
Litter their front yards
Hallmarks of cunning patience
And murderous swiftness
Soon
Their sable coats will be thick and soft
Descending from the treetop chase
Tripping along their runs
They will step lightly into our traps
