Meadow renewal
with burning –
flames cleanse,
consume
seeds unwanted
plants and sprouts
thickets, trees
crowding grass –
all gone!
Invasive species
restrained,
now ash.
Grass again
can roam free
under wind;
winter food
for livestock
and the farm.
Poem and Photo by Duane Herrmann
Duane L. Herrmann, a reluctant carbon-based life-form, was surprised to find himself in 1951 on a farm in Kansas. How did that happen??? He’s still trying to make sense of it but has grown fond of grass waving in the wind, trees and the enchantment of moonlight. He aspires to be a hermit, but would miss his children, grandchildren and a few friends. His work has been published in many real places and online, even some of both in languages he can’t read (English is difficult enough!). He is known to carry baby kittens in his mouth, pet snakes, and converse with owls, but is careful not to anger them! All this, despite a traumatic, abusive childhood (first suicidal at age two) embellished with dyslexia, ADHD (both unknown at the time), cyclothymia, and, now, PTSD. He’s still learning to be human and breathe at the same time.