In a Few Short Days

In the fold of a leaf,
in a nest spun
of her body, the good mother
cloaks her legs around a knot
and waits — without thirst,
without hunger.

Within the knot,
tied of her body,
her children — her singular
will, fattens
in a cradle of silk.

In a few short days,
wind will learn of this.
In a few short days,
wind will creep around
the sharp corner of the house
and bind them
as they leap.

And in a few short days,
a wasp will
prepare its poison,
and a good mother
will resume her hunt.

Image: Stephen Hocking on Unsplash