The Dance

The wind goes nasty, enters a cottonwood tree
and swings the branches around, casts off leaves,
naked branches flog the ripple air.

Nasty moves into the desert
and flips a swallow around on a feather tip spin,
the swallow, leaves and bugs join a dust devil

prancing through the sage. Nasty finds
a porch swing at an old ranch,
enters the night-light and swirls the moths

and mayflies around and out into the air
to connect with the night song.
Nasty passes to a hummingbird and me,

the hummer and I dance in the night-light
with the moths and the mayflies.

Seven Sins

In school I learn details on the sins
that come with penalty, delightful failings
that ooze across the sidewalk, stick to shoes,
wrongdoings for a dark night after moonlight
creeps out of the garden. After school
I learn about lapses without a price tag
with friends in an empty lot, an old Buick,
a booth in the back of Sugar Dan’s.

I get wicked practice and grow
into a sinful authority,
I’m good when I need to, I don’t throw stones.
Jennifer strolls into Sugar Dan’s,
gives me a sideways look and a wink,
I watch her swing and sway, the moon comes out,
she teaches me failings I never knew,
we bury evil out in the garden.

Blue River

Joan is Rock and Roll promenading
down the road head high,
loud and proud. I'm Ragtime,
a little off the beat, I shuffle

a little out of time, I leave space
that Joan fills with accented rubble.
Joan peppers the beat with stress,
I shift to a different rhythm.

Crossing the stream I step between
the rocks, I need liner notes
to get the lyrics. Drums, trumpets
and Joan head the parade

off the old stone bridge, splash
deeper water, lead the Blue River
into an unruly cascade,
and the river never returns.

Windy Ku

it seems windier than it is
but you'll find that it isn't

~

dust devils
skip thru sage –
twenty-six swallows

~

all night the wind
knocks out power –
still dawn

~

at Damon Head three gulls
ride an updraft –
rough water on the bar

~

a plastic bag
on a narrow dirt road –
relentless wind

~

it’s not always this windy
sometimes there’s more