Middle Earth

It was mine,
Between the extreme land beyond the border
And the tamed land left behind
It belonged to me, as much as land can belong.

It was a temperate, beautiful, prospering place
Where seasons bloomed, fires burned, cattle walked
Tractors slowly frontiered the boundaries,
And at sunset, it was a kingdom,
Birds settled the day, stars came, and went
Moons waved, and went
Extremes came
Cold, rain for weeks
Green trees
Too many leaves
A mild mannered temperament kept within
Tea at dawn,
Slow movements, nest egg belonging
Hard to notice, smart to leave alone
A soft place,
Medium heat, well placed
Left to simmer
Forever

Framed

I mounted the painting
crows tossed by the wind
over the swaying wheat field
seeking an appropriate frame
a frame to hold these lonely wheat sheaves
these suspended birds