A premonition of night

......................rainy glow of departure and the dim

............pale-blue between

...............that shares the last sheen

of light

with the fringes

of the clouds

now

........she is only a black

..........footnote below the sky

................as it spreads open

..................at dusk burning

.......................................unconcerned

before darkness

To the south on the rolling plateau

....................................................still high
..............................................above the trees
the thin pastures
...........are beginning to green

white patches
......of dolomite
.........look like scars of flour
........but the grass
grows where the ground
....is brown

.................small outcroppings
............................ on the horizon
..............................................bump
............................................ into the heavy clouds
..........................................and sheets
...............................of rain
.....................................droop out of the their bellies

onto the far side of the ridge

.......................Before climbing high enough

.............................to see her............ there is
.....................the limit of trees .....................black

................................shaggy shapes ....................scattered
...over the white dolomite

........................................................they are the oldest
...................................................................................and darkest

............................................growing

............nearly without company

..on the dry
....porous
and alkaline soil ...........they live
......................................................longest where

........................they are most lonely
................................................................and die leaving

...millennial snags........ that bleach
orange-tan ................................ground sharp

..............................and clean by the sand
.


--Avocet, 2007

..........................To the east now

....only the clouds
..are lit ......and the slopes
are black with shadow

.....................the thunderhead’s
.................................rust and flame
...dropping squalls of rain
.........................and sending shafts
..........................of dark lavender out over
.............................the desert into the heart
..............................of the Great Basin ...where
................night always
...falls first



these are
............the walkways
.................................that lead
.............into personal history
.................................that illuminate

....a child’s memory
of permanent west



--Avocet, 2007