Dry Creek

Two hefty stones lean together,
whisper close—hausfraus
reminiscing about the flood of 1862.

They fall silent as I pass by,
holding their breath.
But I hear their tongues click again

farther on, among limp willows
that have nothing left to say,
even if the wind nudges them.

back to issue

Don Thompson has been writing about the San Joaquin Valley for over fifty years, including a dozen or so books and chapbooks. Retired from teaching in a prison, he lives with his wife, Chris, on her family's fourth generation farm near Buttonwillow. For more info and links to publishers, visit his website at www.don-e-thompson.com.