Grassfires skirt the west edge of town.
                The sirens sound like far-off geese.
                 I miss the rain.

Apricot trees wear their full crown of white
               Too early — late frosts will steal the crop,
               And I will miss the fruit.

The breeze, the chimes, the birds are still,
                The feeders empty and unvisited.
                In the pleasant air of evening, I miss the song.

—

Shearle Furnish is retired as Professor of English and Founding Dean of the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and taught English for 33 years in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Texas. Furnish also served in administration at Youngstown State University before moving to Arkansas.