under the full moon.

i am sitting under the full moon. bundled against the chill, relishing the quiet of night. the dogs have their bells on. so they jingle with their movement. but in their stillness i can hear apples dropping from their trees. a muffled thud as they hit the earth.

i hear owls in the woods.

i hear a motorcycle shifting in the distance.

the dogs go to the apple tree and then bring apples to the terrace to eat them. a dog eating an apple sounds a lot like a human eating an apple. a snap of skin, and the crunch of sweet flesh.

and then the coyote starts barking in the backyard. at first i thinks it’s mo. then i realize it’s not my dogs. i call them both to me. give them a treat and hold them close as the wild animal barks and cackles behind the house.

and then it’s quiet again. the dogs lay down at my feet. ears alert, heads resting. and the only sound is the apples falling through the branches, hitting the earth with a thud.