FROM TURN TO TURN

THE SUDDEN MORNING RAIN
HAS LEFT ME
COLD, WET HAIR
AND UNSURE FOOTING
STILL, I'M DRAWN FROM TURN TO TURN
DOWNWARD
FLAT ROCK, SOMETIME,
MY STEPPING STONE

GRAY BARK HICKORY CHILDREN

THE CHILDREN OF THE OAK AND LOCUST
LINE MY WAY

SILENT GREEN AND BROWN LIFE
BRUSHING TALL BOOT LEATHER

(MAY/25/1980)
REH

TRIBAL FIRE

TRAVEL MAP LINE MILES
I-40, 24,75

LEAVE TROUP COUNTY GEORGIA
AND THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU
BEHIND

FIND WELCOME IN OLD BRICK
THAT REMEMBERS HOME

WELCOME COCKER SPANIEL KISSES
ON THE FACES AND MEMORIES
OF CHILDREN

EXCHANGE GREETINGS
OF LATHE TURNED WOOD
AND POTATOES
DUG FROM SACRED GROUND
FOR THE SMELL OF COUNTRY HAM

WELCOME
FAMILY
AGAIN

GATHER AFTER SUPPERTIME

REST IN THE WARMTH
OF TRIBAL FIRE
THAT BURNS A SONY ORANGE
GREEN
RED

SHARE THE ORANGE BOWL

GREASE PAINT TIGER PAWS ON CHEEKS
ARE MAGIC FOR THE HUNT

DANCE AGAIN TONIGHT
AROUND NEW FIRE

IN WINTER HUNGRY CAVES
CAVE BEAR NEBRASKA
FALLS BEFORE OUR SPEARS AND STONES

CLEMSON
NUMBER ONE

TOMORROW
TRIBAL FIRE
WILL BURN
ORANGE NYLON JACKET BANNERS
IN WINDOWS GOING HOME

TOMORROW
WILLIE NELSON
WILL SING OLD FIRST BAPTIST SONGS
TO HIS MOTHER
AND WE WILL SEARCH AGAIN
COLUMBIA ARMY /NAVY SURPLUS STORES
IN NASHVILLE TENNESSEE

(FOR JIM AND DONA
MOMMA AND DADDY
PEGGY,LEILA,DELLA
AND BRANDON)
JAN/10/1982-REH

DEER TRACKS

BEYOND
MOSS BANK
LEAF BROWN
YESTERDAYS
WHERE DEER TRACKS
STOP AND DRINK,
MAPLE BRANCHES DRIP DOWN
RAIN DECEMBER TEARS
INTO THE QUICK SPILL AND SPLASH

LIQUID STONES
CLICK
ONE AGAINST THE OTHER
AND FOLLOW SOME OBSCURE ETERNAL PLAN

MY PATH AND TEARS
REACH OUT
IN SEARCH OF BAPTISM

I SEEK AGAIN
THE DREAM

SPEAK TO ME
JUST SPEAK

YOU MUST STILL BE

I'VE LOOKED TO REASON
LOOKED TO GOD

SOME THINGS, I THINK,
JUST HAPPEN

(FOR DOUG
MAR/25/1985-REH)

OUR TIME AND PLACE

THOSE DAYS WERE ABOUT
OUR TIME AND PLACE

GONE NOW

PACKED AWAY IN DUSTY TRUNKS
WITH OLD CLOTHES IN THE ATTIC

BUT, UP THERE IN THEIR PLACES
ALL THE SAME

(1975-REH)

OUR THREAD

EIGHT O'CLOCK
NOVEMBER NIGHT
THE HIGH SKY PLANE
THAT ROLLS UNSEEN
INTO THE COMING STORM
IS NASHVILLE BOUND

HE SOON WILL BANK HIS WINGS
ABOVE YOUR HOUSE
DESCENDING

AS RAIN BEGINS
TO SPOT THE DARK PORCH
SCARING CATS TO HIGHER GROUND
I REACH A PRAYER FOR YOU
INTO HIS FAST DEPARTURE

HE IS OUR THREAD
MY BROTHER

(FOR JIM)

JUST WHAT YOU THOUGHT I WAS

I WAS JUST WHAT YOU THOUGHT I WAS,
LIVING OUT YONDER
ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE WIND,
NORTH,
ABOVE THE TREE LINE,
OUT OF REACH

IF THE EARTH SHOOK
AND THE STARS FELL
I MIGHT PICK UP AND MOVE

BUT, MAYBE NOT TOO VERY FAR AWAY

(OCT/1976)

THERE'S JUST THIS ONCE

WE SAW HER THEN
IN A YELLOW ROOM
AS SHE WAS BORN TO US

TINY
SMALL BREATHING
LIFE IN LIFE FOREVER

WATCHING EVERY MOVEMENT
HEARING EVERY WHISPER
REACHING OUT TO TOUCH A FACE OR HAND

AND EVEN THEN
THE ROAD OUTSIDE
ALREADY LED AWAY
THERE'S JUST THIS ONCE
AND NEVER ONCE AGAIN

(FOR LEILA- APR/19/1975)
REH