K. A. HAYS

Windthrow


Some shudder       some go without fear

Soon dirt skips up      laurel frilling

the downed one      Yes      time too

 
bunches and waves      pressed

as from the thrown     seeds shed casings

slip out      hello


heat whipping to cold      the clouds bloated

to rumble and clot      to tarry

panting      speaking in tongues
 

yes     happy as I

or as you      small one  

Now the sapling       clung to the giant

 
who is the giant      climbs on

the roots of the ripped-down      drinking

digging in      Come then      here

 
 
 
129 The Paris-American

K. A. Hays is the author of Early Creatures, Native Gods (2012) and Dear Apocalypse (2009). Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Best American Poetry, The Kenyon Review, American Poetry Review, jubilat, and many other venues. She currently lives in Lewisburg, PA, and teaches at Bucknell University.

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   Next week's poet:

 Eve Strillacci