Unknown companion

Well, it was unknown at the time but I have subsequently discovered that this is the caterpillar of the vapourer moth.

As the attached link says, these caterpillars will eat oak leaves - and this one was very determined to climb up Kairos!

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I was impressed that it navigated itself to the tree and them, despite the challenges, climbed.

Only the males fly, apparently. They find the females by their vapours, or pheromones.

I'd walked down to the wood after boxing. So dry down there!!

Song of Drought

Leaves clatter, crackle, and rasp.

A breeze gusts––

There!

Through the crowns of those sycamores and

down

fall the desiccated remnants of summer.

The wind is not personal.

A low breeze turns scurrying leaves

into the memory of water.

With each rustling step,

the doe foregoes her silence.

Above, the whine as wood

strains

against the drying.