Every once in a while
a lark from the past
pays a visit,
stepping whole cloth
from a hazy memory.
In this case,
a plump, heather gray rabbit
on the damp grass
of a neighbor’s lawn.
The remembered rabbit —
a long-eared Holland Lop–
joined my college household
on a whim.
Tired of studying for exams,
my roommate and I headed to the local pet store
in search of distraction.
Cadbury Baxter was everything
you would want in a college friend —
gentle, adaptable, a good listener.
On warm spring days,
We took Cadbury Baxter
to the center
of the Michigan campus
to nibble grass
and garner fans.
The rabbit in my neighbor’s yard
hops off to new territory,
just as Cadbury Baxter did
when we graduated
and he took up residence
in a preschool classroom,
happily enchanting
a new generation of admirers.
A Reading Life 
Such a perfect post for right before Easter!
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Nice reminder to do something totally different for the glory of living on a whim, or a youthful lark. I hope I’m not too old to jump back into that springtime irresponsibly of buying a rabbit without a plan and with confidence that it will all work out.
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A well-timed post with playful language, hopping us into Spring Break! Well done, my friend.
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I don’t think I’ve ever used the phrase “lark” and now I want to. I enjoyed reading about the rabbit and how it inspired a memory. This was such a fun and clever piece for Spring. Thank you for sharing.
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Cadbury Baxter, what a great name! I wasn’t expecting a rabbit, but what a fun read.
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Well done piece! The picture was great and the way you separated the different scenes into the different stanzas worked so well. A great memory. Now I am scanning my brain for things I did on a lark and what would be a good future lark. I don’t think I’ll be buying a rabbit; although, that might be better than getting a tattoo.
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What a wonderful furry pet friend story. I love that he ended up befriending preschoolers.
Cadbury Baxter sounds like a mischievous lopped-eared friend…Are you sure a damaged electrical cord wasn’t the trigger for this memory?
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Wonderful! I bought a guinea pig names Easter during spring of my senior year. A great companion as well. Such a great trip down memory lane with you. Isn’t it funny how the unexpected can open the floodgates to the past? Just lovely.
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Cadbury Baxter sounds like the perfect companion for college students and then a pre-school classroom. What a great idea or lark you had and how skilfully you’ve woven his story into your poem, moving from present to past and back. I love the lines ‘stepping whole cloth from a hazy memory’
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I loved reading a slice about you in college!! So sweet that your bunny ended up in a pre-school class upon graduation! I started Cynthia Lord’s Because of the Rabbit. So far, it is a sweet story and the main character finds herself with a rabbit. It’s a quick read. I’ll bring it Monday to share now that I know you are a bunny person!
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