Photo by Jackson Mills Smith
Small Thirst
Some stand along a snowbank
at the pass and knock
the powder from a Douglas fir
like a five-piece band on Highway 26.
Having tested and pried and worked
in many faiths, there’s a partner
who’s not always sure, but bears the brunt
of a masterpiece.
Saplings bow faintly
to scrutinize the depth of track
and how each breath carries heat.
And this is good to know, the lark
with its small thirst
claiming its history.
Jackson Mills Smith is a current poetry MFA candidate at the University of Montana. His poetry and artwork have been featured in Another Earth’s What Makes a Lake? Tracing Movement and Third Room’s You are Here, Vol 1: Labor.
Share on