The Zoo Keeper's Song Poem by Maggie Sawkins

I could watch them for hours
Esmeralda and Zola
strolling up and down
on legs as long as stilted circus clowns.
With my daily offerings
of lettuce, radish and grape
I enter the enclosure
run my hand over the primitive patchwork skin,
watch how they flutter their eyelashes
like two actresses
in an old time movie.

When I come back
I want to be the leaves
of the tallest trees.
I want to be devoured
by those magnificent tongues.