Careful Steps

catadromous in their wandering
these words come down on the creeks
hurry through brief monsoon arroyos
down to the rio through the reeds
to wash on down into the ocean
this is how the mountains bleed
so live your life to earth's devotion:
She fulfills our every need



cinders rise like smoky butterflies
borne upon the iron mule's lies
promises of skyscrapers' endless rise
they'll come crashing down to blacken eyes
nothing left where we stand now
we oblivious mobs and busy crowds
only soot and ash again
goodbye, old loves,
goodbye dear friends



massif west like a battleship
a hole torn in it white and wide
up the hill is where Conrad Hilton played
where vultures roost after their glides
to the north well is a Superfund
contaminated by '79
Trinity's a ways over the Rio southeast
and that's possibly how we'll die



dreams of lepidopterae
winking off and on
as fireflies dance among the trees
and drown in golden ponds
our hopes like spider silk are broken
now where have our loves gone?
spinning stars and gibbous moon
will have to do til dawn