Blood Turns Red Only When It Meets Oxygen

Blood Turns Red Only When It Meets Oxygen

the cattle-egret-to-cow ratio

is 12-to-2 in this pasture, 0-to-6 in that
seldom one outrider to one keel

claiming blood turns red only when it meets oxygen

is like saying you know you’re dead

after you’ve died

or you’re asleep when you’re dreaming

palm litter — fronds, flowers, seeds —

ironwood needles at cliff edge

white foam, black rocks, blue horizon

the catch in my throat is asthma

always some body part refusing its job

all night a cow cried

may it not have lost its calf

may it not have strayed into the stream

remain as long as it takes for rain to fall
abraded, debrided, dehisced
by absence of rain

the cow with the newborn calf

the cow with the fuzzy calf

the heifer with egrets parked between its ears

everything about someone
is shown by the size of the triangle

they turn to mark a page

I wake to rain’s in breath, stirring

like water coming to simmer

irregular strike, plops of water

may more & more cows sing to my old age