The Ground Hog Comments

I faintly remember the poem you refer to and thought you were echoing some of his words but coming to different conclusions, but for the life of me I could not remember the poet. I had to look it up. Richard Eberhart. I like yours better. He seems a bit self-congratulatory, and proud of being a superior human for drawing lessons from this animal's death. Yours has an humbler tone (if humbler is a real word)

I like the cadenced lines and subtle rhyme scheme, but esp. I find compelling the compassion for the animal, bringing into focus our nonchalant brutality and the understated philosophy that shows a reverence for all life, even a ground hog that has been reduced to road kill.