I saw the first western swallowtail of the year
up at Council Crest on the last Sunday
in June. It flashed yellow against the bigtooth maples
in their thick, thick green. Blue sky overhead
and the Earth tilting, north pole toward the Sun.
I lay for a while in the short-clipped grass
to rest from the hike: steep climb up to here
and the swallowtail whispers “Summer is here”
and “Drought is coming” rustles the grass.
I feel the great golden weight of the Sun
pressing down on my hands (heart) and head.
I see the Cascade peaks beyond the maples
leaning down to remind me “The days
will grow shorter now.
What have you done all year?”
Books Available
Dervish Lions
The Day of My First Driving Lesson
Country Well-Known as an Old Nightmare's Stable
High-Voltage Lines
Knocking from Inside
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