Eye closed, looking
into the sun,
Climbing up the staircase,
almost alone;
Body started sweating
fourteen breaths ago
Hammer started pounding
many feet below.
Meadow nice, and mountains,
put my head at ease.
Lonely, homeless suckling
calf came up to me.
Eye to eye, together
we began to climb.
Head to head, hot breathing —
his nose into mine.
A snort, a snap, then nothing
chained us to the ground.
Like hopeless, helpless playmates,
we just romped around.
And then another tugging,
rope around my neck.
Blew a kiss to Jacob,
then let myself come back.

— Circa 1972