First Night Home

Oh I don't remember when I wrote this. Circa 1979? It sounds like I was already in Oregon and came back? I don't think it was in my Senior project. Anyway it is about the farm in Abilene, KS, I know that.

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 set 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 downstage to face

the horizon, huge and uncluttered.

The stars come as lights on a stage.

The solo spot, the moon in its

yellowish orange glory,

focuses on me,

and home.