The Groundhog
by Sam Aureli
He’s out in the yard again,
trusting the morning,
munching clover and alfalfa,
doing the small, necessary work
of keeping the earth tended.
How simple it seems—
this life of hunger and safety,
of green things renewing themselves.
I stand at the window,
watching him move through the light,
and think how everything living
only wants what it needs:
a little peace,
a place to eat,
to not be afraid.
About the Author
Sam Aureli is a design and construction professional, originally from Italy, now calling the Boston area home. A first-generation college graduate, he’s spent decades immersed in concrete and steel. Poetry is what truly feeds his soul these days. With retirement still some time away, Sam balances the grind of his day job with the refuge he finds in writing. His work has appeared in The Atlanta Review, West Trade Review, Chestnut Review, and other literary journals. He can be found on X – @samthepoet0731 and on Instagram – @samaurelipoet.
