The Fossil

 

I noticed it 

            while walking

With my children 

         Over 

the twisting 

                   bumpy trails

That boys like,

      rough, 

               unsure

                      Slightly

                           Dangerous

This mother’s mind

       Concentrating 

On the safe 

              footfall

Six other feet

She wills

              With a shifting 

But Persistent Gaze

Be careful

For 

      any 

            troublesome 

                   Spot

                Loose dirt

             Gives warning

     Haste of only 

One, 

Is

All 

It 

Would 

Take

To 

Spoil

It

Again…Be Careful

The view lost in her diligence

             The sunshine 

                     sneaking through

Without invitation, 

no arm 

Holding back the way

Its brilliance

Glinting on a fragment

          Stop a second she suggests

Look 

        There

                 A bone, 

Pulling it

              Free

Wooly mammoth, giant tortoise, T-Rex, 

Squabbling paused with 

We will be famous, like that Leaky guy from science class

Then a trained eye, wise, reasoned 

It’s just a deer bone, boys…see

His explanation lost as we move on

The youngest 

       pleading to bring it home

Sure

Knowing the desire to keep

This day propped
Against his wall

A polished memory

Possibilities in every fossil