Playing Dead

when we were vibrating kids

full of bullsnakes

and bulletproof

/

nests, robbins’

eggs, were

of huge

consequence

on the ground

broken since who knew when

/

when wind whipped the trees,

we swung on the branch,

when dad was less

than delicate, mom

shook her head,

when earthquakes came

was when other kids began

shaking

and we

began playing dead