a heavy blues chord in an oppressive minor key resonating, filling the ears. a sensory headache-- heat of the Oklahoma 12 string dreadnought sun
#2
Production and schedule dictated the large stainless steel fin fan unit needed to be set. The 888 crane began its smooth gear driven rotation swinging south into the hot wind. Tumbling 130 from the black crane lattice-- A nest manufactured, wheat strands from the surrounding fields, construction waste—strips of yellow barricade tape and snips of tie wire. Upside down the nest landed and the eggs were not broken. Two deep blue eggs with black speckles so delicate, they almost fractured in my hand. A miracle, a naturally engineered marvel, thrown in the job site trash along with the rest of tape and wire. The fin fan needed to be set.
#3 2 large wet blood puddles, I remember now big as lakes a long trail of smaller spots, leaving the blood lakes like dried river beds. Shocked. against the pan hard, thirsty brown soil.
Pictures were taken from different angles. A report full of pictures. a picture each To document of the futility of a man fighting Manmade materials. Picture of How—soft we are, there was no resistance. Picture of When—will I forget? Years later the event is with me. Picture of Where- was it? The entire area is now paved black top. And
Picture of Who—A father that will never hug with two arms again, A carpenter with only one arm. Useless as a nail without a hammer. However, not one picture was taken of what—the effect was, of the steel hard men, crying
#4
on the skin is the rhythmic plucking crisp popping beats of a high metallic sound chilling seemingly random notes-- a banjo The unrelenting rain of a Houston winter storm.
#5
Sunday morning and I am leaving for another 3 weeks. My youngest daughter, 4 years old is in a princess night gown little hand pressed against the screen door. Strawberry blond hair covering the right side of her face slightly she shifts her head down as I close the door to my white work truck That little nod-- I wished her hair covered her entire face or that the front door was closed. She and I have done so many goodbyes. The hurt does not lessen.
