5th Stanza - Ben LaMar Gay

And yet he thinks

While roaming the wet terrain

The warden manages to remain dry in his thoughts

In the midst of bloodhounds and deputy sheriffs howling between the tree lines

His silence is guided by the rhythmic cadence of heartbeats and breath

The warden’s heart gets weaker with every footprint that is found

He misses our fugitive dearly

The wet rubber of his raincoat crackles as he turns to his right

And left

He suddenly feels hatred for the officers searching for a man that they don’t

understand

«Damn fools» he whispers

He aims his wooden cane and draws backwards

As if shooting bullets in the backs of each deputy

A move such as this reminds him of being a child

Playing cops and robbers with his friends in the wooden areas of city

The warden smiles

Six bloodhounds stare in a sinister grin