Astronomy laid down to die. 
I breathed in the 
air that shouted 
silence between tall buildings, and made 
heartbeats 
audible on 
silvery nights down Harvey's Rock. 
Americana was screaming from every 
sidewalk and every 
storefront and every 
front porch from 
here to Shamokin Dam. 
Millerstown laid quiet. 
He watched the 
stars and held his 
breath as the Susquehanna 
whispered 
poems on the other side of his 
empty four-lane highway. 

February 17th, 2002