"Hatchlings Breathing in a Nest" by Kimberly McElhatten
Hatchlings Breathing in a Nest
In May
among the dewy arborvitae
beside my condo
there are four hatchlings sleeping
in a nest
under the speckled shade
they inhale—exhale—
almost together
resting their bare bodies
until mother lands
and morning
is the crisp sound of hunger
in spring.
Kimberly McElhatten is a poet with work in South 85, Anti-Heroin Chic, Bridge Lit, and Hard Freight. She’s on the editing teams at Brevity and Fourth River and chairs the WCoNA Book of the Year. She’s a past participant of the Tupelo Press 30/30 Project and the Fallingwater Residency in Nature and Place-Based Writing. Find her at openroads.life.
Instagram: @kimberlymcelhatten1