Pompeii
AD 79 Vesuvius a simmering underground volcano
cauldron heat regurgitating with molten force
volcanic ash pumice toxic gases asphyxiated
lava-burned and buried the provincial Roman town of Pompeii
60 feet of ash fell in air thick as dirt to plant a fig tree
drowning freezing in time people animals a way of life
all died where they stood

Sheep Take Right-Of -Way
hundreds of sheep herded through ancient European mountain towns
drovers whistling signals to border collie stockdogs
steering sheep once a year through local villages
exercising their age old seasonal right of maintaining thousand year
traditional routes from winter to summer grazing pastures

Deux Chevaux
travelling companions a totalitarian
political centralizing way of lifestyle
catering to a hodge podge regional dish slate of
communists left-leaning socialists marxists trotskyites
la gauche cassoulet
unappealing to Parisian leftists of autocratic bourgeoisies
la gauche caviar

Olive Oil
(olea europaea)
traditional crop cold crushed and extra virginal
feisty flirtatious fluid graceful sexy nostalgic
remembering a gal named ‘Olive Oyl’
twisted polished silver olive trees
green nipples dangling from branches
generating cooking fuel cosmetics
skin care soaps pharmaceuticals
culinary delights from the mediterranean basin
olive drab to olive fab seeds of change

Fungus Mongers Among Us

fungi farmer harvester Laguiole knife in hand finger nails blackened

by the ground underfoot consisting mostly of local limestone

dormant oaks stark apple trees coveting the black gold of Perigord

digging and carving fungi through the early morning dew

moisture forming their exotic asexual reproduction

olfactive senses stirring earthly agrarian tastes

mingling with foie gras omelettes stews pastas

merde but that is good