excerpt

Cindy
The Circle H Ranch
Willow Springs, Montana
It was late by the time Joel and Tanya returned home and
unloaded the horses. Once the excitement of the weekend had
started to subside, Joel had become tired and started to dangerously
drift off to sleep as he drove back to the ranch. To prevent
dozing off, he broke the peace and quiet of the long drive by turning
on the radio. Joel and Tanya spent the rest of the way home
listening to country and western music and savoring the joy of
victory.
The next day got off to such a slow start that by the time 9:30
rolled around, Joel decided that it would be a good idea to take the
rest of the day off. Maybe it was the success of the weekend or
maybe it had something to do with the potent fragrance of the
sage wafting in the wind, but for whatever reason, a day off
seemed to make sense. Tanya was pleased to hear Joel declaring
an impromptu holiday. Harry was happy for their success and
also happy to enjoy the benefit of their victory by climbing into
his truck and heading wherever it was that Harry went on the few
occasions that he actually left the Circle H.
After unhooking the trailer from the truck and hosing it down,
Joel went back up to the house and with Tanya’s help the two of
them had a cleaning bee. And by 11:30, the place was looking
very clean. Tanya had always done a nice job of keeping her room
in the basement tidy, but there was no doubt that the upstairs
needed a good cleaning. When the house was finally looking…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0980897955

XVII
Astyanax
Now that you will leave, take along the boy,
the boy who saw the light under that plane tree
one day when the trumpets sounded and weapons shone
and the sweaty horses bent over the trough to touch
the green surface of the water with their wet nostrils.
The olive trees with the wrinkles of our parents
the rocks with the wisdom of our parents
and our brother’s blood warm on the soil
were a strong joy a rich attitude
for the souls who knew their prayers.
Now that you will leave, now that the day of payment
dawns, now that no one knows
who he will kill and how he will die
take with you the boy who saw the light
under the leaves of that plane tree
and teach him how to study the trees.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096TTS37J

Brook
Your ear tuned to conversation
of roots resting in worked soil
graceful maple like
minute shiver with fallen
leaves celebrates seed time
sweaty hands wield a spade
while the cicadas orchestrate
layers in A major
she stands at the spring her smile
torments sweet feelings
roots keep conversing
about rainfall and the heat
the swift brook plummeting and
coursing down the fragile slope

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981073565