I dream this life, walk this world

Roanoke Pastorale

by David Huddle



Cardinal, goldfinch, titmouse, turkey buzzard—

dear companions of my afternoons—

above this field, high clouds dream of blizzards



to snow me in till spring ends my solitude.

Sober’s my binge now, nature my saloon.

Wren, mourning dove, house finch, turkey buzzard—



for your entertainment, I sing the words

of old fifties songs, use baby talk, croon

as I walk the field beneath great blizzard-



dreaming clouds. You gaudy pretties, sweet birds

of my senior years—my later’s my soon.

Catbirds flit through cedars in the graveyard,



turkey buzzards swirl their patterns overhead,

across the mountainside sunlight bows a tune

rising to blue eternity but heard



by the heron fishing the creek, wizard

of stillness, creature designed by the moon.

Bluebird, jay, chipping sparrow, turkey buzzard,

clouds, and field—I dream this life, walk this world.




[Congrats to Professor Huddle! Amazing poem...]