Once The Plains Rolled

By John I. Blair

Once the plains rolled
Unfettered
Two thousand miles
From the Gulf of Mexico
To Canadian forests,
One gigantic
Grassy ocean
Thundering
With bison herds.

Now,
The bison slaughtered,
We have cast
An immense net
Upon the prairie sea,
Line after line
Of wire, asphalt,
Concrete,
Intermeshed.

We patrol these lines
Constantly
As though we fear
Otherwise
The land
Will break free,
Remember
Lost power,
And overwhelm us all.

©2002 John I. Blair