a lot of roadkill lately.
one sign of summer’s
approach. dead foxes—
dead birds especially.
and once, on the main road
driving toward blessington,
an otter—an almost
intact thing, a torso
as thick as cracked leadpipe,
lying down on the lines
which bisected the lanes,
and everyone swerving
about it. april is indeed
a morbid month, and it’s dishonest—
sun striking the tarmac
like water and drawing things
in. daffodils rise, draping
forward fat flowers
with curl in the neck
of a landed and interested
vulture. folding its wings
at the verges of roadside. strutting,
examining the ground.

D. S. Maolalai has received nine nominations for Best of the Net and seven for the Pushcart Prize. His poetry has been released in three collections, “Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden” (Encircle Press, 2016), “Sad Havoc Among the Birds” (Turas Press, 2019) and Noble Rot (Turas Press, 2022)