California Dreamin

Smoke in the sky to the north today. Large manicured hands open wide over wilderness, scooping red wheelbarrows and white chickens upon which so much once depended, stealing towards gun metal & glass monoliths looming. Crisp skies grow quiet, cloudless now. Skies once carrying the sweet of compost and grazing lands, of slow burning wood stoves and chimney pipe tendrils, smoke climbing into fading summer blue. Beasts slouch just past the horizon, aching and grinding for breath. Inhaling with a fury unfathomed by simple barons of the great wide open and children wading in a cold creek among singing cicada and easy smiles. Exhaling scalding pitch steam, earth scents returned as sour stench, amber waves dulled to lead and rolling ash. Glowing violet majesties faded to metallic ocher lull. A sun hot slow motion thunder clap crushing atmospheres flexing and forcing and violent rattlings. Smoke in the sky to the north today.