ANOTHER BRANDING

Silt and sediment have settled
with the senses, clear water calm
in the canyon, low whispers

of the Solstice among the cobbles,
the easy pulse of our lifeblood
returns the churned edges

of the creek to house-hunting
killdeer pairs, not quite ready
to commit to gravelly real estate,

not quite sure of the shoreline
as we gather for another branding:
little bunch of big calves, slow

dance of old people and horses,
buck and bawl of calves before
the fiery altar of yesteryear.