Half-formed apples drop in midsummer heat. The jackrabbits on the lawn seem creepy. A whiff of death comes from fires in every direction. “Apocalyptic!” repeat the talking heads. As I stare at clouds of smoke, do I see the Apostle Peter waving his fist? He did promise fire this time. He said it was our collective fault. Maybe the short-sightedness of pride blurs our vision, thinking we can control nature or ourselves. What if nothing is revealed in the whirl of wind and fire except the indifference of the elements. |
AuthorNancy Harris McLelland taught creative writing, composition, and literature for over twenty years and Conducted writing workshops for the Western Folklife Center, Great Basin College , and the Great Basin Writing Project . An Elko County native with a background in ranching. McLelland has presented her "Poems from Tuscarora" Both at daytime and evening events at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko. Her essay, "Border Lands: Cowboy Poetry and the Literary Canon" is in the anthology Cowboy Poetry Matters . Categories |