I get distracted by The Great Fires
after finding a dead rat in the shared
laundry room across the yard

Gilbert’s words echo

Even dying rats / want privacy
in their disgrace

I text the landlord who sounds pleased
when I agree to

“just throw it over the hill”

I want to bury the rat like the dog
in the community garden
– away from prying eyes

I like to think I understand
why it would appeal to crawl
into weeds, into darkness

– a final act