Paul Dickey

A Vista

I will need to rise earlier to think myself wise.
Rock maples this morning were here before me. 
In a cold hour of Spring, I suck sugar ice 
from their broken twigs. 
                     Buffalo grass survived
hundreds of lives drinking fried water, while settlers 
built homes from its sod. The prairie remained, 
while tornadoes and thunderstorms tried to rile it. 
The river homesteaded too after years flooding 
encampments.  Black sediment sank, roiling
the water, until all became clearer. 
                     Yet the rock crevice 
spoke not a word, as if it knew nothing of all this.
In five minutes, I must be back to my office.

Paul Dickey is the author of several collections of poetry, including They Say This is How Death Came Into the World (Mayapple Press, 2011) and Wires Over the Homeplace (Pinyon Publishing, 2013) as well as multiple chapbooks and e-books.  Dickey received the 2015 Master Poet award from the Nebraska Arts Council. His poetry, prose poetry, drama, short stories and flash fiction have appeared in over two hundred online and print publications. More info is available at his website: http://pauldickey9.wix.com/paul-dickey. Dickey lives in Omaha and is retired from teaching in philosophy.