Willis, P: Deer at Twilight

In his fifth collection of poetry, Deer at Twilight, Paul J. Willis offers a vividly imagistic insight into the depths of nature within and around the state of Washington.

Walking on Water, Pyramid Lake



These particular bugs can do it,

dimpling the surface with their feet,

and no one has built a church in their name.



Other bugs swim underwater with abandon,

with no blue ribbons to show for it.

That leaves the rest of us to perform

our daily miracles without applause.



This rock, for example, sheared flat

by who knows what torturous force,

left to host its lime-green share

of crustose lichen, that concoction

of algae and fungi which long ago,

not even listening to Rodney King,

decided we can get along if we just try.