once, we were grilling zucchini from the garden. it was summertime.

and I was about to leave you.

a praying mantis landed on the grill He was bright and beautiful even as he fizzled and I burned all my fingertips trying to save him.

You cant tell when an insect is in pain but he must have been and you put him in the grass so softly

where I found and stomped him.

And I think it surprised us what we each defined as mercy.