Tuesday afternoon

still quietness 

a bird trills 

a dog’s high desperation 

wheels dusting breeze on dry gravel 

car horn dissonance 

motorbike’s unmuffled rev and 

my breathing in this taste of summer 

settling on the prairie in this rare 

quiet stillness

tulips and kildeer

they’re yellow fluted glasses 

pointed tips 

commencing to open up 

into teacups 

balanced on green stem 

held in crystal vase 

while killdeer fills the air outside with urgent cry 

and bright sky invites a chittering response from us 

to become flutes that gather the morning dew 

and sing our sadness to the sky

reluctant spring

she’s shy about coming out 

from under heavy table 

big brother with icy smile 

too much for her 

to trust that she can make 

her way in this world as well 

we cajole bribe coax say spells 

welcome her into the open 

where she can shine her spritely 

love on everyone and everything 

c’mon now