GUTTER RUNNING IN YORK, NEBRASKA

GUTTER RUNNING IN YORK, NEBRASKA

Sneakers and jeans sweeping

through water in the mouth

of the aqueduct

Four faces

shimmering, twisting and grinning

back up from the run-off

in the drainage ditch

where we sprawled across

the top of the

concrete culvert

hurled our voices into

the darkness of the

tube

listened for them

to die

Later-- at least a good 30 yards in

the whole tunnel shuddered inhaled--

the breathing of the

town through its bronchi

tubes that stretch from

the chest beneath

First National Bank into the

corn rows out past the

last house

where the air

blends with

soil, pollen, sun

Fifteen years later

I lean out

over my reflection

hand on the concrete side

of the aqueduct

peer into the

darkness, the wet

the warm steam

fogging my glasses

I still hear

the voices.