Early in the morning

as the sun rises wetly

and the monkeys howl,

the volcan Arenal

rests uncomfortably

behind hills dominated

by bare kapok trees.

I sit

beside a still lavish pool

and notice a large brown beetle

the size of my thumb

weakly drowning.

In compassion

I pick up a near by

dry piece of palm leaf

and fish him out of the water

and place him and the leaf

by my chair.

To my surprise

as the beetle struggles to right itself

a spider comes out of the leaf

and slowly, wetly, walks away

across the brown tile.

From a tree

a lively sparrow flys down,

inspects the spider…

and eats him!

Now

the beetle rights himself.

the sparrow looks fiercely at the beetle

at my feet

but is not willing to approach

A moment.

The ancient volcano stands.

The Kapok watches.

The sparrow flies from place to place.

I sit with the beetle at my feet.

The beetle moves, unaware.

The sparrow, after some hesitation,

flies off into the trees.

The man leaves.

The large brown beetle

weakly moves his legs.

The Kapok tree stands guard,

while the volcano stirs.

Somehow, those three that remain

step outside of time

and become immortal.