Most things in this swamp want to be left alone. No matter how many teeth, how sharp the claws, how giant the feet, the first principle out here is don't bother. Alligators, bears, garfish, hornets — everything wants to sleep or float or stay as still as it can. Until it can't. Blue Herons are probably the one exception. No matter how quietly they wade in the shallows or how slowly they move along the horizon, they just can't help themselves. Always pecking, stabbing fishes' backs for no reason. Messing with stuff way too big to eat. And then there's the standing around in the sun when there's shade everywhere you turn.
Jack B. Bedell is Professor of English and Coordinator of Creative Writing at Southeastern Louisiana University where he also edits Louisiana Literature and directs the Louisiana Literature Press. Jack’s work has appeared in HAD, Heavy Feather, Pidgeonholes, The Shore, Moist, Autofocus, EcoTheo, The Hopper, Terrain, and other journals. He’s also had pieces included in Best Microfiction and Best Spiritual Literature. His latest collection is Against the Woods’ Dark Trunks (Mercer University Press, 2022). He served as Louisiana Poet Laureate 2017-2019.