The Fox

Have you ever hit an animal while driving? Many of us have. Every time it has happened to me, it has been a sad moment etched in my history. Unfortunately, I have had a handful of experiences now. From frogs to squirrels and giant bugs. Our vehicles can wreak havoc on nature. I have even seen a rattlesnake strike at the tires of a car as it fought for it’s life against an oncoming vehicle.

When my husband and I went on our first trip to Arizona to visit my folks, about 14 years ago, we had been traveling all day, and arrived in Phoenix late. Mike and I had a two hour drive to Tucson ahead of us. We got the rental car and right away started to get going on the highway. The speed limit was faster than I was used to, and it was very dark. I had just got up to speed when a tractor-trailer truck in front of us swerved out of the way clumsily. Before I had a chance to react, I saw a coyote turn it’s head, stare me in the eyes, and then I slammed into it’s back end. Up ahead to the right there were cars pulled over and people off to the side, and a bit further ahead there was the largest pack of coyotes I had ever seen. We just kept moving, what more could we do. I continued on crying behind the wheel. The vision I had of that animal in the last moments of its life has stayed with me.

A few years ago I decided to paint a roadrunner. I had been working on painting desert birds and I was so please at how they were going. The day after I finished the illustration of the roadrunners, I was driving to the grocery store and even though I veered and tried to miss the road runner that crossed the road in front of me, I ended up hitting the beautiful bird. I look at my painting as a tribute.

I spied a magical red animal at the side of the road out of the corner of my eye yesterday. All I could think was, what kind of cat is that? It quickly became skittish, I saw the long red creature move quicker than any cat and I swerved away, realizing it was a lovely fox and it headed straight at my car. I am guessing you understand it did not end well for the fox and I have written this poem for this red ghost who haunted my night.

The Fox

The darkening sky glooms overhead.

Wet drops carry on the wind and splash down in great splats against the moving glass.

The fall night has lost some of the sparkle of the earlier day.

Off to the side an amber flash is sensed.

A glimpse.

A brilliant blur.

Turning more vibrant as the seconds dash by.

Blazing in the minds eye as a red orange shock.

As quickly as it lit the fuse awake,

the thud and crush under us sputters for acknowledgment.

Thumping beats skip,

Steeping in pain.

Cascading down like sharp teeth.

Cheeks wet with the fleeting memory of one’s own vision.

The red ghost moved through the brush as a delicate wave.

Catlike and agile in magical ways.

Over in an instant.

No chance to stop.

The tears bleed like the red orange fire of its tail.

Leading in a dull empty question

of how to say sorry?

Amy Frissore 10-4-2020