from the Canyon Wren series
Janice Dewey
Sound Pillows
The sky opened at 5:20 with orange pillows
cool breeze on her face
then the song, the cascading soprano waterfall
a river through canyon walls of operatic proportion
the song was right here
right here in the house
Electricity
After she fed the dogs and exited the kitchen she glanced
toward the ceiling a tilted 50's light shade centering the wallboard
the bird simply tweezered the whole production and moved it
from porch window to living room
the fire made in the antique Ashley stove warmed the whole
family stock dogs tiny brown speckled eggs and woman
with long silver hair
Moon
She napped dreamily that afternoon as the sky darkened and the
wind sang through the canyons in ripeness
branches and leaves swayed a hula made from desert rain
forest in preparation for the deluge
it would not come 'til a moon slice past midnight and ferociously
ping the tin roof for an hour
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Janice Dewey has taught humanities at the University of Arizona for thirty-five years.