Today in eastern Kansas
Dissatisfaction basks on melting snow

Today in sunlight
Gravel and the remnants of dead grass

Throw small shadows
Indiscriminately on wet ground

Today speaks
Withered tongues of dry stream beds

Mumbling hyperbole
Sharp as inky glistening ravens high up

On dead branches
Wrapped, radiant in frost gray mist

Today even the sun
Sleeps fitfully, horrifically dismembered

By dreams of time
When things mattered and choices

Were more than a matter of accident

Small birds immortally peck
At forgotten seeds, occasionally finding

Some nourishment and
Winking ironically, I am sure of it

Today there are foxes
Out of sight, leaving dens to look for

Slow-moving lunch
In the form of dirt-brown mice or voles

Down by the train tracks
Phone lines humming O Susanna

Dripping ice-melt
Leaves temporary stains on trestles

Colder than time, squinting
Because they've seen it all and just

Don't happen to care right now.