Before the Storm
janine canan
Two orioles perch on a telephone wire
stretched over a grassy oleander field, whistling.
Nearby workers listen to songs on the radio.
The mountains bend close
to find out what the humans are up to.
Birdlings tumble into bursting yellow blooms.
A broad black bird sails down valley.
On the highest hill towers the temple
to the Lord the whole world bows down to --
except one woman, who pauses on the lower steps
surveying the landscape, and above her
the slow-moving darkening clouds.
