[Stylist] Tumbleweed

[Jacobson, Shawn D]

Dear Stylelist

Below is a poem that I wrote for Myrna's poetry reading circle.  I am sharing with the list by request.  Please read and enjoy.  If you have any comments/criticisms, please share.

Shawn

Tumbleweed
by Shawn Jacobson

Borne upon the wind
the flying bushes of the plains
sail across the road.

Heading out from Pueblo going east,
we leave the mountain's grandeur in our wake,
and enter upon plains with flat expanse,
capacious vast unbounded and so free.

A wind arises from the howling north,
a sky of cloudless blue turns dusty brown.
I hear the keening in the chilly air
a storm is calling through the empty land.

And then I see a sight unique with wonder
a drove of plants the size of steers arrives
sailing across the emptiness around us,
flying over unencumbered land.

We flinch as these weeds cross the road ahead
collisions can not be avoided now.
They slam the car with slapping thudding sound
breaking themselves on our metallic helm.

Through prairie towns our tumble weeded way
does take us in our eastward journey home
La Junta, Lamar, Garden and Dodge cities,
and smaller towns swallowed by emptiness.

In time we'll leave this empty widespread realm
and eastward find familiar fenced-in land
of cities reaching skyward in their might
and bid nature around it mind her place.

But memory of this forgotten space
will linger as we contemplate the sight
of dusty skies that tell of distant storms
and plants that sail the prairies empty, wide.

Over unfenced land
these flying plants travel free
across memory.