off in the distance
abandoned army barracks
give way to wonder
to what this town once was
bloodlines run deeper than the water now
loons rarely stop to greet the paiute
hovering briefly around the basin
like 1950s ferris wheels with wings
their memories permanently woven
into the sky.  

John Dorsey lived for many years in Toledo, Ohio. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including Teaching the Dead to Sing: The Outlaw's Prayer (Rose of Sharon Press, 2006), Sodomy is a City in New Jersey (American Mettle Books, 2010), Appalachian Frankenstein (GTK Press, 2015) and Being the Fire (Tangerine Press, 2016). He is the current Poet Laureate of Belle, MO. He may be reached at archerevans@yahoo.com.