Trajectories #13

by David Chorlton / December 22nd, 2019

The wind is up early
racing down the mountain with news
from the other side: happiness
costs a hundred thousand dollars plus
for a year in our city, and sales
begin now. The hummingbirds, however,
appear content with the cost
of sugar and water, riding
each new gust to where a glass
hangs from the sky
for them to drink. It’s cold
with the kind of cold that roots
inside the heart when talk
turns political
as low pressure spreads from coast
to coast and minds
that are closed only tighten
their doors. Dark money
just got darker
and the candidates for office keep on
multiplying. The local hawk
is out and testing
the range of freedom. His positioning suggests
the boundaries run east of Fifty-first Street
and south of Warner Road. He sweeps
across the street and away
to the desert slopes; he circles
the pond and glides over
houses; he’s next to the sun when it shines
and part of the mist
when it rains; he’s a grand
romantic aria turned
to absolute silence.

David Chorlton has lived in Phoenix since 1978. He grew up in England with watching soccer as a major part of life although he has managed to move on to other interests since then, including reading and writing poetry. Read other articles by David.

This article was posted on Sunday, December 22nd, 2019 at 8:04am and is filed under Poetry.