from 21 Days

The overland trail lined with graves
a dying daughter begging the men to dig
down 6 feet so the wolves
would not find her
the tired men
reaching 4 feet that’s enough
the mother
grabbing a shovel jumping into the grave
covering it with cactus

so much sky here at night comes through
the ceiling
stars waver in the dark room
heavy quilts layered on the bed

red ant on cone of yellow dirt
a woman arranging stones
or a young man bent under weight
of a wooden cross
that drags the ground
theatrics of living

left at the graves pink rosary
for protection
lady
in a blue cape

drone of music at bedside
in the dark little
bottle
of water
nightlight
book
balm

———————

Pink torn scarves the sky’s anti despair

red fire ants in the yellow sand hills
exquisitely fine baskets
yucca sandals for the long trek

you feel very far away I am
1000 miles can you hear me
are you there

the pueblo’s pale ochre
mounds toward San Jose de Laguna
blue smoke upstreaming fenced yard dogs in and out
the altar’s painted ceiling stars
one white woman
capable of quiet

First appeared in Terminus Magazine