I saw a fox

recognized its body, the long red tail
You smiled at my scream of pride
almost lost the steering wheel
startled by my joyous shriek
on this cool winter night
you who knew animals so well
raised them, fed them,
versus I, who slightly feared
nature’s dark without a show of concrete
my eyes glistened
like a calf newly born
struggling to stand
reaching
I made you stop the car
hoping to see it again
bushy tail, reddish color, white tip
my first fox
my virgin nature gone
anoint me a naturalist
for this moment observing a fox foraging
perhaps meeting up with their mate
In the quiet moonlight
you next to me motionless
giving me time to glory
in the quiet of the night
my hand touches yours
I see the colors of your wants
the fragrance of your desire
becomes the air in my lungs
sitting in the dark
transformed
waiting for the beast

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Nilsa studied at Brooklyn College and has a Master’s in Comparative Literature from Binghamton University, N.Y. Nilsa had a story published in the inaugural edition of Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul. She has recently been published in Muleskinner Journal, El Portal, Gyroscope, 101 Words, and Wildgreens Magazine. She is working on three plays.