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At His Post

This is Cooper on sentry duty.

His post overlooks the small draw
down which water flows every time
we have such a downpour as
we rarely see here in the Sonora
but which as unlikely as memory insists
must be, must happen
or the wash would not be there. 

It is the same view
from a different post
at which Jao announced
that he could see
the whole world.
It is Cooper's world. 

There are coyotes
day and night patrols
and herds of javelinas

sometimes a Lone Ranger
probably a young male
driven out
by a patriarch
"Not under my roof!"
he said
"Go make your own bed!".

He is under orders
is Cooper
to report every sighting
to the house
not to be a hero
at a show of force.

It is dangerous duty
truth be told
tusk and fang warfare
but Cooper is game.

That's the problem actually.




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