these places that save us
red barn
with wide hips
deep in the bales
have heydays of dreams
we marry brothers
so our families can stay forever
twined
where kittens of wild cats
hang stubborn to dried cords,
you cut them off-
these places that save us
and the horses-
learn to ride western, bareback
it was this, or religion
places of hiding places
this quarter-section
you wish never to leave
and return to city-house
where one has to get up early
to breathe
then your cousin moves to America
sells the “The Farm” to an oil company
respective parents have a fight
or something
ties thin
the sinuous course
snaps
from the road now
like a holy war
acres clear-cut
sun-stroked
barn on shaky legs
ghost horse gallops
memories
these places that save
~ Patricia Sinclair
Patti Sinclair is published with Palabras Press, Synchronicity, The Prairie Journal, ditch, and ascent magazine, and is the forthcoming featured writer in Fair’s Fair Women Who Love to Read series. She is the author of the Edmonton Best Seller, Motherhood As A Spiritual Practice and her most recent chapbook is red poems. Patti has performed with the raving poets, the roar, Edmonton’s Stroll of Poets and is currently working on a performance project, the red earth women poets. She lives and writes on her blog poet-at-large and by prairie and ocean. She is currently working with red nettle press.
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