Signs

"The obvious is difficult
To prove. Many prefer
The hidden. I did, too.
I listened to the trees."
--- Charles Simic

Signs

By Big Frank Dickinson

There is a dog complaining in the distance.
Closer crickets chill in sweet refrains;
While intermittently cars whine.
The triple whammy! So hard to choose.

The darkness trumps them all.
Still that's so common it’s hard to see;
So ears take over and their interpretation
Is as suspect as a clown’s spiel between acts.

The dog admits he scratched the door;

Yeah, he wanted out; but, come on!
The crickets croon their constant joy

Such luck to be right here right now.

The cars' incessant moan is taking them
Places that they had no say in whatsoever.
The cricket-dog's song goes on; it's the whine
That goes away . . .