Mating Dance
– Nonfiction by Miranda Barfuss –
We sat the deck after whiffle ball, tunes turning, and little mites landing on the neck of the wine bottle and two ducks, man, woman, they flew over our heads in a love chase, big sweeping circles. Whoosh around. Whoosh around. They hurdled our tree branches, threading the streaking space of the air as you and I have done. New pathways, old familiar treads and ever out of reach of each other. Reminder laughter of how we flew back when we could fly. The woman disappeared into the squirrel’s hole in our big tree, the man careening past unstoppable and spring fierce blooming in beak nostrils. The fury flight of mating, excitement, longing, catch me, don’t catch me. We did not see her come out of the hole, or maybe we did once his air wake passed. Maybe a brown flash on the roof, or maybe she laid there with her feet up, fluffy feather abdomen attentive to emotion and the flush of desire and fear. Love alive and racing in the veins. We could say no words or every word, but nature has her say regardless. The old years cracking paint off the deck approaching resealing and I hardly think to touch you anymore in our living dance through daily routines and the water wine hose pour of never having nothing to say. A chase irrefutable. A history considered and breathless. My darling, ravish me in a hole in a tree, ancient ancestry planted, and all my pin feathers revealed. Our nest a challenge whenever we want it to be. There is no stopping in boredom and stunted speech. There is no peace in love alive and heartbeat full. Your blue green shimmer head flushes my camouflage cheeks with giggle and wonder and love.
About the Author – Miranda Barfuss
Miranda Barfuss (she/her) is an overgrown lifelong literature student, fellow traveler, municipal government employee, wife, mother and writer living in Naperville, Illinois. She has a rock and roll covenant heart full of the mystery and writes, because emotions are trustworthy. Her work has been published in the 30N Literary Review, Crosswinds Poetry Journal and Clayjar Review
Read More Creative Writing
Meanwhile, at Dreamers…
Dreamers Magazine Issue 18 Now Available
We’re pleased to announce the release of Issue 18 of the Dreamers Magazine, featuring our Haiku Contest winners. Get your copy now!
Enter the Dreamers Flash Contest – Due Sept. 30
Submit a fiction or nonfiction story of between 300 and 1000 words for your chance to win! The winner will receive $150 CAD and a copy of the Dreamers magazine.