After the first inch rain
I work the road
with big Cat loader tires—
three towed behind
four wheel drive
low range crawl
smoothing ruts
like icing a cake
keeping gutters clean
and runoff into draws.
Outside, inside
down the middle
two round trips
four miles clay, rock
and some d.g.—
plenty time to think
and look for life:
quail, hawk
deer and bear,
somewhere cattle
this fresh day.
Through the open window
scent of milk and cud
in the flats—
little bunch:
cows and calves
upwind.
I’ve grown wild
since college and the Sixties:
hauling hay loads up,
goosenecks gathered
with fat calves down
the mountain—
our dirt road lifeline.
Drought or Flood: each day represents the challenge of getting there and then getting home again . . .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, at this stage of the game the challenges become more and more basic.
LikeLike