Syrupy Amber

by Fred DeMeo

Unjarred, summer smorgasbord,

it’s sylvan snout sniffing

syrupy amber –

clear and golden.

Chubby apex hive burglar,

curious furclad gourmand,

fat, patient and solitary –

emperor of this thorny brake

A chorus of humming barbs

Invite flinching rewards,

clinging to paws and whiskers –

a queen’s treasure trove

Fred DeMeo is a Pittsburgh-based poet who grew up in Arizona, where much of his writing was shaped. He has been writing poetry since middle school and recently returned to the work with renewed focus. His poems explore emotional landscapes of the desert, men, women, and generational differences.