Mexican Yellow Poppy near Animas, NM–Photo by Jen Pezzo
No Rain
The desert welcomes this water sign,
drinking her into the scenery, it is easy
for a Scorpio to adapt to the sun
as she walks with her girlfriends and what
might be Apache spirit guides
leading her to pottery shards: one white
with black stripes and one reddish-brown
with a black figure holding a spear ready.
We hunt for sacred treasures like this
through paths of scattered multicolored
volcanic rocks, broken sticks, Prickly Pears,
Sage brush and Mexican Golden Poppies
on Starlight Dr., soaking in the silent
flat landscape after riding stubborn horses
in the afternoon heat. Tomorrow we will
climb a mountain and discover
petroglyphs and grinding rocks there.
Tonight we will meet with Orion,
Andromeda, and Miss Cassiopeia back
at the ranch house, wrap ourselves up and sit
in the cool night air, then maybe warm ourselves
with Tequila mixed with Sprite Zero
(again, per Herb’s suggestion), and count
the shooting stars as we wait for the Milky Way
to guide Sonserai – the morning sun – above
the Chiricahua mountains.
~ Jen Pezzo
rain birds
bright yellow bellies and wings as black as ohio coal,
with a hint of orange on the underside,
and split tails painted
landlord white.
she flies in repetitive arcs, figure eights and spirals,
the outside track bringing her ever closer
to my river view window,
and her colors flash
and flash again
as she turns.
he joins her in this amazing dance,
sometimes following exactly,
other times darting out over the rushing water
and then returning
in a straight, fast, line to her side.
his yellow belly matches hers without exception,
although his wings show more orange
as he climbs.
the daily gulls dutifully took their places
under the massive steel of the detroit-superior bridge
as soon as the rains began,
a single robin sits stoically upon the chain link fence,
and hidden sparrows chirp nervously
as they vie for dry spots
among the trees.
this pair, however, take delight in the rain,
swirling playful and grateful,
glorious in their flashing colors,
intersecting circles,
ability to embrace the day.
~ jeffrey bowen
Weather Report
Whether rain or slime
my love for you will remain
in or outside time
~ smith