earth note 422

u.s. route 20, euclid avenue

the only tangible

philosophy
is one that you can hold
in your palms
rub the earth
behind your fingernails
pickup food and pass it along
like daniel
to the folks who
need it most
and then go rest
in lakeview cemetery
i'm sorry i missed
his transition

the planet is filled

with imposters
war machines
built on so many
twisted fears
the leaves are not
camouflage
but life itself
to shade out the bitterness
the rain will come
and wash us all
thorough
if we're so lucky

those are not clouds
but haze
hanging in the gallows
there are no clever
metaphors
when walking alone
every highway
will leave you
thirsty
for another explanation
so you revert
to the things you think
you know

a couple sparrows

are dumpster diving
into the rain gutters
passing their food around
like a potluck commune
sometimes
it's just
that
simple

--- e b bortz