earth note 67

what a contradiction
those lonesome western ohio country roads
how they broke my cycle depression
peaking just beyond
the four foot corn stalks
three thousand sisters and brothers
road crawling in bicycles
megawatts of solar power and head winds
unharnessed
sidney...brookville...hueston woods
oxford you feel like i've met you in vermont
or berkeley
your face is still painted in the sunset
a green orange mystic dance
with the hickory
i've taken in your breath to renew
an original mission
to wear aboriginal beads then return them
to their rightful stewards

--- e b bortz

(published in Cleveland Anthology of Poets, 2005)