Surprise they
whisper as I crouch under
locust trees whipping like frenzied buff-
alos, branches crackled and knuckling
while fiery steam loco-
motives of wind transfer coals and char-
coal tincture into the Orion
stratosphere. Surprise they
bellow as I belly up to
gravid meteors of yore
tumultuous past lives, each rum-
inaction better than
a buzzard or cock-
roach. Surprise they tremble, tumbling
out of the tomb, mum-
bling astonish-
ment as I blink and wink and nod.