Jen Coleman is author of “Psalms for Dogs and Sorcerers” (Trembling Pillow Press) which was selected by poet Dara Wier for the 2013 Bob Kaufman book prize. Jen’s next volume of poems is forthcoming from Furniture Press. She lives in Portland, OR and is a member of the Spare Room reading collective.
For Belle
The white-faced cow in sage
lows one self to another
in a single four-bellow chest:
a bellow to belie what’s below
surfaces are surfaces alone
a bellow to reflect the falcon
so hard to be a predator
a bellow to the stoic fence
stalwart sentinel of possibility
of cow possibility
a bellow to the water
forgive us, forgive us all.
A bit of wind in a cow’s ear
whispers to the rare water:
forgive us, forgive us all
