Liberty Bell

up in Phoenix no good help…

there to get some sun

but i just ride around to quit tryin…

so what about we talk,

usin hands cause voices are jus too early

this Sun morn blue patch–quilt heaven

shadowless sea of canyon morn…

later, comin down from a Liberty Bell breakfast 1/2 mile from a dusters path,

laughin at my obvious dread, a Yaqui Indian woman

servin me extra cups of coffee cookin

appreciatin my meager 25₵ tips

with stories to tell from our soft broken tongues…

and when my internal dialogue finally melted

I sat quietly, listenin to the air

sipping from her chipped brown cup,

then fingerin through want ads for my ranch Dream work

(rustling in the S.W.)

tradin bridles,

saddlin ropes,

makeshift lean–twos and a free washup in the country john,

clean and smellin like a gleamin wooded Mt. Rainer valley,

poised,

unpretentious…

yup, today must be one of em candid red valley open holidays,

one of em days when each and every moment surely becomes possible

8/9/75

Prescott, Arizona