as the water eats the earth

by bl pawelek

when the butterfly
swarm swims
batting their chaos wings
gathering and increasing
with the fruit bees
and the lizards under the rocks
then the mexican mountains
chocolate and jagged tooth burn
the pacific stays far away

on the hills
the people paste their homes
together praying simply
for light rain
young harvest
sweet mercy

the young rimbaud horses
and reuss burros
have worked their lives away
on the west side of these mountains
a side where the sun never sets
and life rots and meanders away
as the water eats the earth

the animals plod away
the soil continues the slide
and the swarm flies higher

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bl pawelek grew up in western New York and has lived and hiked throughout the United States, Canada, and Far East Asia. Influenced mainly by Edward Abbey and Charles Bukowski, Barry’s writing now spans twenty years. He earned his M.A. in English from Loyola Marymount and has had writing and photographs published in dozens of publications throughout the country. Current writing projects include non-fiction pieces about Eddie Slovik and the Loneliest Road (Amboy Road). Barry recently completed his first novella, “case 11512”. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife, son, and daughter.

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Back to Issue One: Fall 2008