Squirrel

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Pahn is walking about his pastures
accompanied
periodically
by Daphnis
and other children ....A squirrel
flits around them like a cat ...seeming
to ignore them .....but
staying close by

At one point the children ....excited
by the squirrel’s friendly
proximity .....reach
to pet him on the branch of a tree
Pahn is worried that the squirrel ..which is wild
might bite them.....
but they can’t resist reaching
....................................out to touch
The squirrel stays docile
................but is uncomfortable
with their petting against ...the nap
.............................................of its fur

Pahn sits .....in an armchair
.........................in his field ...among
the lichened boulders
and oaks .......to sew
and lets his head back ..........to rest ..The squirrel
comes and stands
on the arm
in its edge-of-calm
....cat-like ..sort of way
and Pahn..................................
can feel its frantic
heart-beat and panting.........
Pahn reaches slowly
.................to its head ....brushing
its fur gently
down its neck.................

and the squirrel flutters
calmly.....................................
from ...under his hand.........
...................hopping
about ...the chair
as if taking an interest
....................................in the sewing

It climbs down .....into Pahn’s lap
nibbling incomprehensibly
the jeans at his crotch

Pahn is afraid
but he can’t think
of any reason
that the creature would bite there ....so
keeps to his calm

and the squirrel .....eventually
stops and rests
.......affectionately
........in his lap
as Pahn gently caresses..................
................its back

Pahn wants..............................
to tell Ahlmah ..of his success

because Ahlmah
is untamed by him .....and he thinks
he could sit calmly at her side
and she would bring her affection to him

and soon he is standing.........
....and walking
................................through his meadow
talking warmly
with a woman

but it is Mayahri..............
.............................not Ahlmah

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