Between Night Hills A
kasen renku by Michael Dylan Welch and Tanya McDonald
First published in Frogpond 39:3, Autumn
2016, pages 50–51. The first 32 verses were originally written on 9 May 2010 on
the road from Newport, Oregon to Woodinville, Washington (a 335-mile road trip, after we both attended the Oregon Poets Concord), with the final four
verses written on 31 July 2010 at Farrel-McWhirter Park in Redmond, Washington.
trailer park a flat of seedlings on a
rusted Chevy Michael
ospreys nesting on the new cell
tower Tanya
the waterfall’s fall straight into the ocean Michael
winded halfway up the lighthouse steps Tanya
easing away from the rumble strip day
moon Michael
a twig balances on the telephone
wire Tanya
among the bills a baby shower invitation Tanya
the settlers’ cemetery freshly
mowed Michael
threading one daisy stem into another the principal Tanya
a satellite streaks between night
hills Michael
Mother stirs her tea with a garage sale spoon Tanya
the obsidian netsuke cracked on
the mantel Michael
a faded blue ribbon from the county fair egg toss Tanya
in the airplane magazine an air
sickness bag Michael
clicking past the Discovery Channel
Shark Week Tanya
the sex ed book overdue at the
library Michael
“Nights in White Satin” drifts through our candle smoke Tanya
a box of love letters down from
the attic Michael
in front of the old couple’s house a
pair of snow angels Michael
melting icicles the vacancy sign flickers on Tanya
the pachinko parlour after closing a
jangle of keys Michael
the Get Out of Jail Free card
dog-eared Tanya
on the dining room table the widow refolds her flag Michael
another day crossed off on the
bridges calendar Tanya
in my dream top down in the carwash Michael
a moth lands on her discarded
blouse Tanya
the construction crane in pieces on an 18-wheeler Michael
laburnum blossoms dangling against
blue sky Tanya
a strawberry stuck in the milkshake straw Michael
scenic route the text message unsent Tanya
at the top of the ramp, the skateboarder straightens her ponytail Tanya
beads scattering from a friendship
bracelet Michael
a Frisbee sails over the neighbor’s fence Tanya
my online banking password ah, I remember it Michael
cherry petals land in the baptismal font Tanya
a rainbow flag flown at city hall Michael
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