Stan Wilson – Pattee Canyon Poem #1

Wind up trails to outhouse
rooster crow, wind whispers
thru slightly swaying pines,
tansies die off,
knapweed taunts.
From old cabin,
it’s all uphill.
My mind wanders to think,
“this is the 5 valleys,
birth place of my COPD*
I huff, how
many dusty feet have
trod narrow paths
like these,
across high Pamir’s,
naming that path
Silk Road,
I call this path,
“path to humanure hollar…

(…or, “shit house lane.”)

–Stan Wilson

* From National Heart Lung And Blood Insitute: COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) disease, is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. “Progressive” means the disease gets worse over time. COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus (a slimy substance), wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Most people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke. Long-term exposure to other lung irritants—such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust—also may contribute to COPD.

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