First Day of School

In Highland Park, dark as night this morning,

we see a fox, his tail straight out like a rudder

in water. He then sees us, and steals

away—into the pines.

At the Goodman-Pinetum bus stop,

a young woman, wearing a brown nylon

backpack, waits, one hand on the stroller

holding her toddler, while her

older child boards the school

bus, perhaps for the first time.

After waving goodbye, she

pushes the stroller up the

steep hill through Colgate

Rochester Divinity School.

I wonder if she’d want to know—

or rather not know—about the

fox we saw only 100 yards from

her and her children just now.

Back on our street,

two houses before ours,

Emma and Julia must be

getting ready for school.

In a still-dark house, one closet

light is on, displaying an array

of little girl dresses, cleaned

and pressed and fresh.