A Poem by Catfish McDaris

Listening For The Finches

 

While walking the railroad tracks almost

smothered in wild orange sunflowers,

I found a gristly ear, I thought of van Gogh

 

I planted it among my lady’s asparagus,

blackberries, & red currants, waiting

all summer & autumn for something

to reach for the sky with magic

 

Nothing happened, I saw an ugly dog

digging around until a finch dive bombed it,

one evening as the sun whispered goodnight

I looked out & I saw Vincent dancing

 

A flock of golden finches floating around

his face, singing & nibbling grain from his

out stretched hands of genius.

 

 

Catfish McDaris has been active in the small press world for 20 years. After 3 years as G.I. Joe, he hopped freights & hitchhiked across the U.S. & Mexico. He built adobe houses, tamed wild horses, made cattle troughs, worked in a zinc smelter, & painted flag poles. He lived in a cave & wintered in a Chevy in Denver. He ended at the post office in Milwaukee, a catfish farm is next, He hopes.