idaho

cour d'alene boxcar
shuts out steady mountain rain
pine smell slips through cracks
(7-05)








bitter years at camps;
minidoka memories -
locusts at window
(3-10)

fry bread 'n' huckleberries -

spit grease, cars on twelve, the sounds

of his own footsteps
(10-14) 





fled pocatello
took enough to camp in these
cottonwoods a while
(2-10)





quarter in the snake,
small plop of an august dream-
undammed illusions
(1-07)

hell's canyon rafter -

moment of calm, gold leaf,

reflection in th'snake

(10-14)

first frost, morning chill,

coffee, trout on open fire -

bitterroot breakfast

(9-14)

cour d'alene drunkard
unfolding torn cali map -
damaged by first snow
(1-12)

twelve hours from th'coast ,

fills tank, but waits out th'blizzard -

welcome t'idaho!

(10-14)

panhandle woodsman,
winter's wood surrounds cabin-
sawdust falls from beard
(1-07)

sawtooths' snow-capped peaks -

she serves the onion soup with

pointed suggestion

(9-14)

window sealed against
moscow snows - not like russia,
'cept for the vodka
(1-12)

off twelve, th'wilderness

thaws and awakens - the fish

watches the hiker

(9-14)

st. joe forest home
bear knows where fish jump in spring -
let him have first try
(10-05)






they called it the red
'cause it ran red with salmon -
they came up hungry
(4-10)





salmon and coffee,
sun on lolo pass camas -
glad i'm home, he says
(1-13)







grandpa pulled salmon
from th' river by th'bucketfull
's why it's called the red
(1-12)






river ice breaks up,
fishin's good, but he dries out
in a boise jail
(1-12)

weiser fiddler's tale -

a world of travels end in

small town festival

(11-14)