The author lives, works and raises two kids in the wilds of suburbia near Denver, Colorado. She is the poetry and fine arts editor for the electronic magazine SpokenWar.

by EA Lynch

"From Day to Dusk"

I drove East today.
The sky was exultant, an artisan
glazing his huge, blue bowl.

Low, slow hills were flesh and gentle.
As the sun reached low,
the land blushed.
Trees nestled in hollows faded to soft down.
Cattle were stones on the horizon.

I think,
someday,
I will become a stone on that horizon, too.
Someday,
I will be as quiet
as dusk.
Someday, I will nestle in a hollow of flesh becoming down.



 graphic: "Sandtree" by Vera A. Jones




"Walking in Someone Else's Hometown"

Walk with me -
rivers can make whole towns.
Walk with me,
on gentle lapping feet.

Concentric reverberations outward
  -distance falls.

Twigs are drawn on picket fences:

taptaptaptaptap

Past Main Street:

taptaptaptaptap

The locusts sing too early, and
a few crickets grieve,
low and tired.
There is a creek under the bridge,
let's dangle our
hot city fists.

Walk with me,
easy as yellow dogs snuffling
through goldenrod
and Queen Anne's lace.

Our rivers will make whole towns.



 graphic: untitled by Vera A. Jones





"Poultice"

I leave my upholstered blue chair,
kneel on the floor next to
your upholstered blue chair -
apply the tips of my fingers
as poultice to your mouth,
wounded from too much talk
and one question too many.

So many words, these,
usually meaning nothing but
camaraderie in blue chairs.
One is elegant, my grandmother's,
the other is garage sale special, a hand-me-down
from my ex-husband.

With your encouragement,
I took a chainsaw to its cousin, the couch,
even though you were sure I'd chop my leg in two.
You stood ready to speed dial 9-1-1
should the inevitable occur,
although it didn't.

But here we sit, as we have sat
so many times before,
you ask one question too many.
"hush,"  I say,
"hush."

my poultice won't draw your wound.

mixed media: "Feminine Nature" by Vera A. Jones A returned native of Tennessee, Vera A. Jones lived and traveled the country extensively before settling a decade ago in Jonesborough, the state's original capitol. She is an award-winning artist with work in private and corporate collections throughout the United States. From her Main Street studio Vera provides private tutoring and commission work, and teaches regular art classes. Specializing in watercolor portraits and mixed media, Vera studied Fine Art at the University of Memphis, and with regionally known artist Urban Bird and nationally known artists Judi Betts, Jan Kunz, and Alex Powers. Selected for display over the years in various regional shows, her sculpture, paintings and drawing reflect the struggles of life in a love of form and startling design. Visit her website at Vera T. Jones Art Studio On-Line ; e-mail to Tracyvera@aol.com.

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"From Day to Dusk", "Walking in Someone Else's Home Town" and "Poultice" © EA Lynch, 1998. All rights reserved.