past empty houses and water troughs searching. I feel this point to point gravity of heart bouncing off dark night sky as if when I stand outside I see you blaze out of constellations. But in the long and short of it I sit here in oak shade and know years ahead which stretch like miles under the hooves of these grazing horses we'll both be knee deep in this river. Maybe you tying my flies because I can't see so well, your hand pushed into my back and the river running past us, your feet anchored to the earth.
79