Humboldt County

HUMBOLDT COUNTY

Slight rain
  falls cold
    across the windshield

As we bounce
  over the broken asphalt
    west to Petrolia

A stiff wind
  blowing the golden grasses
    making our way

To Cape Mendocino--

Forgetting for a sublime moment
  the troubles of this world
    where the expanse

of sky sea & land

Conspired
  to provoke bliss
    in our throats






DRIVING THE VALLEY

Taking the Woodruff cut-off
by chance at pink sunrise

Our eyes astonished
as blackbirds by the hundred

Swing across shimmering riceponds
back to phonewires





LUCID DREAM

Backstage
they primed me
preened me
readied me

For my big comedy show
at the Center for the Performing Arts

I took a deep breath
They pushed me through
The green curtain

Psyching myself
For a raucous ovation--

Every seat empty


FORTUNA

The cheap motel's low metal awning
Keeps rain out of our eyes
But pours it robustly
Into our EARS