Thunder Sandwich  #23

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Ben Hiatt

Heard a coyote talking


Heard a quavering coyote voice

this morning in the dark.


Quiet. Far down the ridge.

Did not even wake

The town dogs up.


No full blown yodel, this.


Just a quiet one-way

conversation with the sky.


I would not have noticed

had I not been

sipping 5 a.m. coffee

in the outside dark.


No lustful bragging

in his voice.

No challenging the dogs to race

across the draw

and down along the south fork

canyon walls.


I seemed to hear

acknowledgement

that his work was done

for another night

as he centered himself

to await

what the day

and light would bring.


Later, while I rinsed the empty cup

I heard, again, inside my head

that quiet, haunting call

and these words came

to bridge his workday world

to mine.



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