north dakota

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from white butte outward,
wide plain slopes for miles - nearby,
prairie smoke blooming
(2-10)






bismarck yard camper:
"burlington northern owner
was once one of us"
(8-05)






fargo yard boxcar
good f'r th'long ride - wait 'n th'weeds,
when th'train starts, jump on
(8-05)





arb'retum camper,
shadow of th'state capitol,
found a patch of woods
(11-13)






after west fargo
no interstate junctions 'til
billings - frost on boots
(12-11)






bowen ave denny's -
they make the pumpkin pie last
'til salt trucks are done
(11-13)






fargo boxcar drunk
doesn't know which way is south -
frosted weeds witness
(2-10)





a town called minot,
nothing but prairie around -
one winter, i left
(5-11)






new year with folks in
zap - sounds a bit livelier
than it really is
(5-11)





stranded in bismarck -
roads keep drifting over, and
it's thirty below
(2-10)

plugged in to th’meter,

th’car is safe in bismarck, he says –

tongue might freeze, though

(6-15)

you don't understand
how these devil's lake winters
make faith an issue
(12-11)





drift prairie marsh geese,
oblivious, cold - just in
from manitoba
(2-10)

likes t'catch his walleye

when th'weather breaks't devil's lake -

they jump right in th'boat

(11-14)

may day, halfway lake -
forgot where he started out,
or where he's going
(11-13)

fargo's flow'r gardens -

she likes th'wild prairie roses

in the back alley

(12-14)

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