STILL LIFE
A litter of bones and skin;
clumps of fur, matted together.
The gorilla's head on a dish, draining.
The stink of death, thick as blood.
Outside, fresh air, grass,
the appearance of peace.
It's hard to find the answer
if you can't frame the question.
Life is hard for everyone.
Chaos theory: snow falling
onto the wings of a butterfly.
The gorillas, silent,
as if posing for a still life.
How static can you get?
A knife blade.
The steady fall of snow
(first published in BBC Wildlife Magazine)