The Horseshoe Creek

The Horseshoe Creek

The dirt road stretched miles,
nearly two hours of bumpy ride.
what draws us there again and again?

The sitting black boulders on the hillside,
the twitching ears, slow-moving maws,
and the grayed cow-pies, the signs of life
of the boulders. The ghostly dwellings,
undying ladies of the Silver Mine in its hay days,

the tattered white curtains of the broken windows,
waving in the winds, welcome the passersby;
as the old school bell rings of silent call
for the shouting and laughing children.
a little yellow butterfly suddenly appears
flutters away ahead,
as the distant mountain of forests smiles,
like grandpa at the Senior Living Place.

Swoosh of clammers of the pines, and
cluck-cluck of wild turkeys sauntering near
by the creek that sings the deep water and
the hidden school of fish; simple, fresh feature
of the place, whirling deep sense of comfort;
the generous Mother Nature's rec. center;
we toss a line, have a picnic, and so on,
and leave, and come again, and again.

©Byung A. Fallgren

Wild Grape Vine with the Pine Tree

Wild Grape Vine with the Pine Tree

She plans in the spring,
in soft green,
touching the giant, rough and high:
She will reach the top.

Determined, she knows how:
doing her best.

In summer, great green,
mighty and high. Even the moon holds her breath.

Autumn comes around, and the vine has
climbed, not even half of the way to the top.
She doubts: she may not make it.
a reminder of the cousin’s overdone dream.
Still, she laughs, her leaves blazing crimson.

With the first frost, she whispers to the moon:
“I will return. Meanwhile, I will join
the party of the dancing leaves.”

© Byung A. Fallgren

In the Grieving More

In the Grieving More

Handsome, lost his wife at 69, began
his days sitting in his chair,
staring at the pair
of his slippers,
as if they were her on the first day he met,

dazed by her beauty. Dark spots appeared
on his face, mushrooms of sorrow,
that would last unknown tomorrow;
deep wrinkles guided the invisible
tears toward the corners of the mouth. When

the nephew called him, he'd lift his head, eyes
gazing blankly toward him. Nephew offered,
"Let's go for a stroll." But he preferred
dropping his head in silence. "Go fishing then."
His head remained as Thinking Man.

He was glued to the chair most of the days.
One day he freed himself from the chair
and asked, "Is my woman still at Computer Repair?"
Nephew sighed. "No. She's visiting her mom and dad."
"When she's coming home?"

"She's taking it forever, uncle."
"Tell her to hurry.
"don't scurry."
Every day the same conversation he would repeat,
eat, and sleep as he used to,

until one day: he lay on the dandelions in his lawn,
watched the clouds; he appeared to have no more pain.
The couple's urns have lain
side by side above the mantle, like they used to sit
on the deck, side by side.

© Byung A. Fallgren