top of page

 

 

Erica J. Mitchell did a project entitled, The Poet Photo Project which she has graciously shared here.

http://artintheclouds.com/

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bgbpyh20pqm1p22/AADyA7ZB3EBBpna4N2VOvB35a?dl=0

 

 

 

FLATHEAD LAKE

first wave: Flathead Lake

 

they drive around with 

bundles of wood

some with kindling sticks

bundles from California

truck is from Japan

man in brown from Mars

tall in short pants

ends at his knees

ranger something

ranger beware

the waves lap at my shore

 

second wave: Flathead Lake

 

to rig a coffee maker

paper cup upside down

cut a slit in paper cup

brown paper filter

filled with LavAzza crema egusto

boiling water fell in paper cone 

balanced on top of paper cup

spewed crema egusto sludge

eruption of a mind

collapsed without ceremony 

across my table

little in my cup

drink not of its thick grittiness 

spaghetti western cowboy coffee

 

third wave: Flathead Lake

 

a butterfly sat in the sun

gently wings fall up, fall down

flying on land

her sticky feet hold tight to an idea

tethered to pine needles

smelling the pine, the water, the air

after her weary flight, the sun soaked her up

sobered squirrel drops a nut

a pine nut

squawks through little teeth 

maddened over nuts

butterfly flies up: squirrel nods

Published in Theory Magazine, Bozeman, MT, 2013

He lays down the poker

as if it were a word

onto the floor 

just behind him

 

the fire becomes lit

and there

he is 

beside himself

in admiration for fire

 

that lights him

already ablaze

with his breath 

he makes words

using the same breath 

 

ignited 

from before he was a man

at a time when fire 

was not acquainted 

with him 

was not known to him

 

then 

or to you 

until now 

 

with his breath.

Published in Cirque Journal, Anchorage, Alaska, 2018

bottom of page