Random 

tonight all of the ranges blush blue 

deep ruby

foothills grace the glaring pale 

race by

spill gold 

over cedar 

juniper 

pinon

spanish horses splashing 

roll in riverbed dust 

raise clouds of dust 

and cloud

raise expectations 

that now

the drought

will end

certainly he feels the lightning bleed 

the virga's thinly streaming lines

feels the terror of nothing

raining on his land

it is his harsh and

gentle rain 

it is the harsh 

and gentle 

hum

and the random drum

of summer thunder 

and the random drum 

of summer 

and the random drum

and the random

random

drums

jp pestana 9.15.16

Taos In Three

see what happens in the loudest clouds
confusing a thousand absent skies
thousand twisted tongues
drowning out his conflictions
he challenges the whole
of the blue surround


then the garden's stone bench
whispers that her flowers are dancing 
he sees her dancing trees
sweet voices in the moan 
of a yearning Taos sun


a reservation dog pants 
in shadows black dust 
scratches madly at the flea of day
barks at tattoo girls in their wet summer dresses 
giggling in their own fleeing shadows

jppestana 9/11/16

The Porch

the low summer throat slowly rolls 

mouths the thunder

under the sandia

bursts of purity 

white light in the wisps 

scorches

here is a place buried deeply

releasing from the fray

beneath the cholla

his rabbit easily dreams

stares 

wonders

scurries to where

a silent flight of hurried birds tight to an ancient wind turns on him

coyote scream in death sing their dark moon songs

leaving

he sees nothing more

nothing to return to

jp pestana 9/7/16

Alameda 

summer lulls under mulberries

fingers his run purple blue 

juice seed touch the tongue of horse

it is the late rooster hollow dogs cottonwood shade

it is sweet grass in clover

last night’s rain

it's what’s left 

of the sound 

of water

day

Farmingdale

driving through a long stretch of darkness 
tonight I strained to find a hint of moon 
light from some lost star 
memory of light 
taken from anyone 
anything 
passing 
me 
by

Snap

Snap

by a smaller sea
we enter cold metal night
stacks blacker
anger march
power sound smoke
salt mists
sweet music
behind this
all traffic ceases to be
moon sparkles millions lightly dance
and branches hear the snap of me
she the wind
breaking
in two

Moon In Moon

before twisted trees
the moon is all web
swaying slightly
it will not
break free
tonight

in bright light
a moth of surprise
lands in desperate flutter
caught in its own death
it cocoons moon
in moon



JP
6/30/2010