Not Even and Answer

Not even an answer Not even an Answer, Just one single hard lesson. One that must have been watching me all day long. Waiting, there in the shadows While I picked up rocks in the corrals, or maybe when I was clearing the sinuses of troughs, with compressed air and trowel Not even an answer Just a cold silence, as the lesson slowly crawled up my leg biting me with needle tipped feet Getting under my skin Running down my spine. Eyeballing the hairs on the back of my neck with hungry eyes while they stand up, huddled like sheep in the night. Not even an Answer There were nine saddles in the barn All generations old. Along with a bit with the letters U.S. Cavalry on the side 1865 I'm told. Found on the ground amongst the fallen horse's bones. The arrow tip, long returned to the earth after piercing his heart. The desert shadows rising and falling with the days and years. Until it was stumbled upon and brought to hang in the barn. Not even an Answer When the barn fell and the flames died and all that remained were fumes of home and history The boss asked “What happened?” But as the wind continued. I couldn't speak.