nights in the west

Elizabeth Jacoby, PhD

Adjunct Professor of English

on a clear night

stars

in the west

are

evasive

and intrusive

like slivers of gentle rain on wool

and

adorn branches of trees

mimicking diamond earrings

often dangling

even the constant wild wind

that carries the train whistle

up the hills

and through canyons

cannot shake them loose

the passersby

in those boxcars

pause

to notice

the billion levels of light

as

dormant

cattle

pastures flicker by

and

ranchers take

two more fingers

before the sun

hides them once more.

For McCook, Nebraska

Jan 2020