sunrise bike ride in northern colorado

the moon commas over the dusk,

a chalk smudge on glimmering slate —

a few stars faintly asterisk

the dark west horizon —

goats quote mark in their mud yard,

to them i just apostrophe —

galloping beside me ponies escape

their corral with wonder —

a snake crushed flat becomes an "O"

in shimmering skin italic —

a mule grazing through wire fencing slashes its back,

tasting tender rain-green grass —

— Jeffrey Ethan Lee

Jeffrey Ethan Lee teaches humanities at Temple University, creative writing at the Community College of Philadelphia and the Shambhala Center of Philadelphia, and composition at Drexel University. He was recently an artist in residence at Ursinus College. His 2006 poetry book, identity papers, was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award.