my favorite songs

Wind blowing through fishing line. Haunting and high pitched, just a step above imaginary. 

The strum of an in-tune cello. The open strings playing together.

The ring of note played in tune. Hanging in the air, it sings with all the strings.

Cicadas. Buzzing about summer and the heat and returning to normal.

Minnesota

They didn't go there for the lakes or the fishing or the wildlife

they didn't go there to escape the modern world

shut out technology

They went there to reap

to take

to mine

to log

to destroy

greedily, they took trees and iron ore

sent it off

mad money

The trees regrew

mines changed or emptied

Now I can go there for the lakes and the fishing and the wildlife

to escape the modern world

shut out technology

But they will reap again

leaving the earth's belly empty and soured

her face pocked and disfigured 

And where will I go?