JANUARY 2022

She foresees an early spring,

winter warm as we brand calves

in the open space between rains

this ground and cattle need

as much as we for our sanity.

The finches vie for corners

in the post and beams

that hold the roof and summer sun

at bay. Fat ground squirrels play

grab-ass, warming-up  

for the real thing, planting seed

for fresh armies of vermin

to attack the garden.

Already the love songs

of a hundred coyotes

fill our dark canyon

from dusk to dawn—invite

the dogs to sing along.

One never knows about the weather—

it can do anything anytime it wants

to make geniuses or fools of us all.