Earth Day: Two From Ted Kooser

Grant Wood "Spring Plowing"

Spring Plowing

West of Omaha the freshly plowed fields

steam in the night like lakes.

The smell of the earth floods over the roads.

The field mice are moving their nests

to the higher ground of fence rows,

the old among them crying out to the owls

to take them all. The paths in the grass

are loud with the squeak of their carts.

They keep their lanterns covered.

"Spring Plowing" by Ted Kooser, from Flying at Night.

 © University of Pittsburgh Press, 1985.

Mary Denning "Spring Rain"

How to Foretell a Change in the Weather

Rain always follows the cattle

sniffing the air and huddling

in fields with their heads to the lee.

You will know that the weather is changing

when your sheep leave the pasture

too slowly, and your dogs lie about

and look tired; when the cat

turns her back to the fire,

washing her face, and the pigs

wallow in litter; cocks will be crowing

at unusual hours, flapping their wings;

hens will chant; when your ducks

and your geese are too noisy,

and the pigeons are washing themselves;

when the peacocks squall loudly

from the tops of the trees,

when the guinea fowl grates;

when sparrows chip loudly

and fuss in the roadway, and when swallows

fly low, skimming the earth;

when the carrion crow

croaks to himself, and wild fowl

dip and wash, and when moles

throw up hills with great fervor;

when toads creep out in numbers;

when frogs croak; when bats

enter the houses; when birds

begin to seek shelter,

and the robin approaches your house;

when the swan flies at the wind,

and your bees leave the hive;

when ants carry their eggs to and fro,

and flies bite, and the earthworm

is seen on the surface of things.

"How to Foretell a Change in the Weather" by Ted Kooser, from Flying at Night.

 © Universtity of Pittsburg Press, 1985.