Bark and Bite

The bark doesn't seem to be falling off
but rather peeling away,
taking with it
a membrane of mucus
perhaps it is sick
with a cold
it is Winter now
but the sick doesn't show
it only moves.
bubbles, and slithers,
cause their mothers taught
them that it is impolite
to show
when you are hurting
and it is only
to be seen
when you
want something.

I wondered then
why the bark was showing
me it's ill
and I found out not much later
that it was
hungry.