The Sand Hill Review               http://www.sandhillreview.org 2005

The Balance of Water

A little more, we think,
just a little more rain.
The earth here is heavy
and a trickle could tear
rivulets or streams or rivers
across our backyards.
We watch the skies,
try to foresee the future,
as we feel the weight
of canyon walls surrounding us.
Even now the water seeps
through the soil,
in cracks of small rocks,
and tempts the cliffs
to surrender in a tumble of shale.
Though our houses still stand,
the ground must shift
only one last time.
We will fear the clouds soon.

Amy MacLennan