Three Winters in Kansas
is enough for anyone.
But the view from the office window
is compensation.
There a thousand starlings
undulate across a sea-sky
sheared of clouds by blades of wind.
Across the white-edged river,
the snow's pulled back-
showing like petticoats beneath
the earth's brown muslin homespun.
Covered with stubby corn stalks
tawny like the fur
of a starved mountain lion,
crouched and waiting to spring.