First Night Home

Strike the old set!
Replace those earth-clinging trees!
Remove the ocean's breath.
Thin out the paint in the sky.
Tune out General Motors.
Change the scene to:

Hot, dry heat, a plain's sigh.
a windmill creaking and groaning
under the weight of night. Offset
with coyotes howling and an overture
of nocturnal insects. Add the clatter
of a feeder, a bawling calf. I

enter, the extras offstage,
carrying on about harvest and baby Sarah.
I move downstream to face
the horizon, huge and uncluttered.
The stars come on as lights on a stage.
The solo spot, the moon
in its yellowish orange glory,
focuses on me,
and home.



Circa 1980?
Abilene, KS