Incident At The Farm North Of Las Cruces Poem by Ted Davis

Now the killer sees the snake;
Boards are kicked aside.
Now the snake stares through the sun.
Birds chirp from the corn

When the rats burn through the brush,
When the dog barks past the moon,
When the wasp stings to the bone,
Death will find a home.

Hiding now,
Rising low.
Hear the heartbeat
From the dirt?

Watch the fear,
Numb the mind.
Hear the moaning
From the cave?

The snake is kissing killer's head.
Wind shrieks through the boards;
Black dust blows above the corn
While birds and rats lie low

Is the torment over now?
Are the children in the barn?
Has rain cleaned the blackened air?
Let's stand and guard the house.