Could You Do It?

We want to see a novel
That has no people in it,
No anthropomorphic beasts,

No allegory of trees—
Likely it’s not possible,
But we’d still like to see it.

Not a field research report
Of empirical data
About the nonhuman world,

Not a metaphysical
Argument or religious
Vision announcing fresh faith,

Not a series of lyrics—
A novel, a long fable,
But with no people in it.