Burros In Utah

In all this space,
even the indifference
of a burro's tail is as good
as a face, and the wariness
of the pale fellow, translucent
with sun, penetrates
like a loud hello.

They must feel it too,
grazing so near the road.
Yet the distance is not hostile,
just inhuman. We are not used
to knowing we can see
(or is it reach?)
so far beyond our bodies' reach.

How many days' walk
is that far peak? It could be
just over there, but for
the burros and a few puffs
of cloud for reference,

the scantiest of references,
faint clues to the mystery of horizon,
three burros like three steps
down to the beach, the sudden ocean,
a primitive way to count:
one, two, three, infinity

Dean Blehert

Last Updated: October 6, 2002