Between Night Hills
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.
A kasen renku by Michael Dylan Welch and Tanya McDonald
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