earth note 509

pike national forest north of woodland park, colorado

the storm held off

just enough
to get the tent up
water jug filled
reading matter sorted out
with a touch
only a gary snyder
left out in the rain poem
can give you
and the first blast
of rain giving us
some confidence that
the western forest fires
might actually be subsiding

all the motor home tourists

are still coming
barreling down the road
to make it to
the nearest sports bar
in time for happy hour

and we

simply sit and think
and raise our lounge lizard voices
in just as good a harmony
     as the thunder
     crack of lightning
     tall pines trembling

--- e b bortz