Vulpis Celestis
By Theresa Jean Tanenbaum
--
Shell cracks
Sudden light pours in
Tumble bundle of fluff emerges
squint eyes watering
Blinking away womb-dark
Pounced out of fragment shell shards
by impatient sister
Welcome welcome welcome!
Siblings tousle, wrestle, roll
end-over-end-over-end-over-
head watchful golden eyes,
gentle paws, and twitching tails
She won't let any harm befall
fresh-hatched foxlings
No sly serpent stealing into nest
while momma hunts
Nor shrieking talon tipped owl
snatching hatchlings while she naps
Momma places each pup on
dedicated nipple nursing
*Hang on tight! We're chasing*
*shooting stars tonight!*
Soft fur still sunwarmed
trace smelling of the mint and earth
where she lay
stalking prey
and wingtips dusted with pollen
from brushing brilliant beautiful fields of flowers
Irate chased away by territorial honey bees
Milk swollen breasts rendering her heavy
She is home-smells and safety
She is warm breath and love growls
Horizon flares, light pierces then gutters
Pups protest piteously when she darts after it
jostling babies briefly from feeding reverie
Then milk-drunk and sleep-lulled eyes close
Only one foxling is awake
when she alights upon
the still warm starstone
Sharp pointy teeth snip its umbilical tether
which whips swiftly back into the heavens
Foxling hears the sound it makes
(bow drawn across crystal and metal
pleading and plaintive),
hears, and knows she will never forget
Sudden skittish flutter momma
lands wary distance away now
flips her wings to settle feathers
folds them fanlike along her back
Pads on silent toes
Slow mincing spirals towards
sky stone Suddenly! Fist sized foxling
fluttering across the remnants of the Void
that cling to the fallen star
gasping for frozen breath
Momma swoops to the rescue
but foxling emerges transformed
Her coat no longer rust but sleek
black, swimming with galaxies
and constellations
an undiscovered universe painted
across her.
Nest-safe the foxlings snuggle
golden, russet, tawny, yawning
But void-kissed sister wistful watches
while slumber claims her loving litter
Sleepless sister doesn’t yawn
doesn’t blink bleary, doesn’t droop
Sharp eared sister, sky is singing for you
Star song spun from past the treetops
Calling fallen star kissed vixen to
her comet crossed heaven home
Foxling twitches whiskers, scents the trail
of moondust trickling down
Yearning lashes tail impatiently
Pacing along nest edge while siblings sleep
Momma sees her daughter longing
draws her close and wing-drapes her
in cautious cuddle
Void-touched daughter whines, whimpers
Why, Momma? Must I wait?
Momma pauses
Lifts her wing to look at daughter
sees her for the first time
truly sees her in her newmade beauty
Golden eyes meet swirling star-filled pupils
slow-blinks her approval to her child
Then foxling nose nuzzles Momma
and wings of spun spider silk spread
Downsweep sounds celestial chimes
launching darkling foxen skyward
trailing tessellated stardust
And all her siblings stir, awaken
as the heavens sing their welcome
to their newborn vixen sister
winging wildly past the moon
to join them, join them, join them
soon
