Author Archives: John

Promising

Posted on February 26, 2014 | 5 comments
6:30 a.m.

6:30 a.m.

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AT OUR FEET

Posted on February 26, 2014 | Leave a comment

Like loose rocks, discarded
twigs, felt with shuffling
feet—another time of propriety

and flush purpose passed, yet
lingering to trip us up,
slow progress down

and we rest, set-up camp
on running water
and remember what really was

important, how much we cared—
invested in moments
we knew would never last.

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Posted in Poems 2014

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Dry Creek 2013

Posted on February 26, 2014 | Leave a comment
January 4, 2013

January 4, 2013

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SEEIN’’S BELIEVIN’

Posted on February 25, 2014 | Leave a comment

They’ve been talkin’ rain for days,
singin’ happy tunes like puppets
jerkin’ and jiggin’ on TV

to amuse children after school—
the same promise,
before and after work,

of dessert if you’re patient.
Like dancin’ fools from the shadows
some even proclaim El Niño.

But nowadays,
with the price of hay,
you look a gift horse in the mouth.

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Posted in Poems 2014

Christmas 2013

Posted on February 25, 2014 | Leave a comment
December 28, 2013

December 28, 2013

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Posted in Photographs

ANYWAY

Posted on February 25, 2014 | 1 comment

We are well done—
too long on the fire,
too long grinning at the gods

through clenched teeth.
Rocks shine on naked slopes,
dirt and dust have risen

in search of rain. We wear
circles in dry earth
back and forth to water

feeding hay, meet each other
plodding in a daze.
We are well done,

too long laughing
at old age, too long wondering
how tomorrow will look

backwards on today.
We raise another glass
to all this, anyway.

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LONG BLACK FACES

Posted on February 24, 2014 | Leave a comment

She looks into my eyes
exploring behind them
through darkened lenses—

caution and wonder wrinkle
her brow, she hesitates
to wander far.

Others graze the hay truck
like a manger as we stare
at open range

we share. Moments become
minutes, salutations
among hungry girls.

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Image

WPC – Threes

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The topic for this week’s photo challenge is “threes” WPC. With the help of our neighbors, gathering calves to brand is fairly routine, few words are spoken—an order where everyone has a job to do. We usually brand one calf at a time, going ‘old people slow’, trying to make it as easy on the calf as we can.

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Posted on February 23, 2014 in Photographs

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EVELYNNE

Posted on February 22, 2014 | 1 comment

Your name was a song
on a young mother’s tongue
for many years after,

her diaphanous dream
of a world as it should be—
everlasting.

Chance or circumstance,
you bathed my naked flesh
with Japanese concepts

whispering yet. A soft
longing melody
on an old woman’s tongue.

                                            for Evelynne Matsumoto

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Branding Greasy II, 2014

Posted on February 21, 2014 | 4 comments

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Cows thin, dry as hell, but everyone roped well. It seemed like such an easy day among good neighbors and friends.

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Posted in Photographs