earth note 20

itasca county minnesota

frozen stalks of timothy hay
uncut another desperate year
windbent southeast
some touching the white ice crust earth shield
others
chaos contorted left standing
northwest downwind a slab of creaky barn board
lets loose takes flight
barn swallows swoop to new corners
gophers dive for cover
a ten-day subzero freeze is in the air

i look to the void of black winter darkness and northern lights

--- e b bortz

(published in split w*sky 2002)