"Flight Response"

The way a deer will walk facing the wind to catch the scent of predators

The augury of wrens and a French word for fire

Sinistre

Here is the world and here is the land

An archaeological transference

Is it…

A wildfire or a barbecue?

Glowing in the distance over the treetops

Perhaps the southern lights

A stone in each hand

A truth/ a bird/ an ember

Some multi-armed striding giant from your haziest dreams

Breathing, again: the smoke, but maintaining eye contact

Centered in this oilscape

Stretching the depth to a vanishing Skypoint and sacrifice

Nate Maxson is a writer and performance artist. The author of several collections of poetry, he lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.