Box Trap
by Cary Griffith


Once I believed a box trap
could capture something wild,
bring it close enough to
hold.

I set one in
river bottom woods,
baited the trigger plate with
peanut butter,
hoping to catch Racoon.

They must have
been attracted to
the peanuts, came
in to feed until
one hopped onto
the lever.
Panic made them
thrash and flail,
wildly flail and thrash.

Next day I
found six Robins who,
rather than be held,
beat themselves to
death against
the wire walls.






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