R L Swihart: ‘October: Consecutive Days’

October: Consecutive Days

Walking. Separate but sewn together: two flaming maples
guarding the house: wild turkeys in the fallow field:
shreds of cotton on a blue canvas: one flicker
hammering away high in the tree

Pictures culled from an album and representing a life.
The last portrait (the farewell portrait) sitting
above the urn: metallic with a blue
arabesque

Perhaps the rain was fitting.
How would I know

Still wearing the black badge (invisible) I drove by
the same field on the way home and a large bird
flew like a wet blanket out of the ditch
and over my car

R L Swihart