I held that box pretty straight

that year winter was slipping away lost in the dense mist

at the gate that day leaving for school we found a hedgehog

mom and dad looked at me shaking their heads

I insisted

and so they were able to grab the hedgehog with a pair of nice thick gloves

they put the hedgehog  in a box with a lid full of holes

I put in the box a bit of grass and a few drops of dew
and so we walked to school

I held that box pretty straight
the hedgehog was quiet  all the way

when we arrived at school, surrounded by  the teachers and  friends,
we opened the box

the hedgehog looked around and went quietly away

everybody smiled
mom and dad too

that's all I remember
except
that winter was slipping away so fast lost in the dense mist
and those thick gloves as a soft nest to my eyes

Marco Bo