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The Sunday Poem: Mark Justice Hinton... Wind Makes Crazy

Got the Windy Day Blues? Maybe you should be listening for voices. "Wind Makes Crazy" contains the wind, a raven, and a rabbit. Now THAT is New Mexico in the spring.

"This poem is nearly a true story. I was driving around El Malpais after a solo camping trip. Between rainstorms, I walked alone on a trail and met the raven and rabbit beneath just such a sky." --mjh

Half geek, half poet and full-time watchman at the gate, Mark Justice Hinton has been an icon of the blogging movement from the very beginning. He was one of the original contributors to the Duke City Fix. For years his blog has opened with this quotation from Sam Adams: “It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.”

The photos in the post were taken by his wife Merri Rudd.

Wind Makes Crazy

The raven
preaches from above
his dark robes spread

he tells his tale again
“I am the black rock, the Land
full of subtle, fragile life!”
Shouting out
from his piñon pulpit
the choir in the cholla
a meadowlark waiting
to sing today’s hymns
“I am the dark wind, the Breath
that spins the world!”

From my rough-hewn pew
beneath a juniper
I listen to his sermon
seeking enlightenment
from a dark guide
“I am the black cloud, the Water
that awakens life!”

Beside me, a rabbit
whispers, “you cannot turn
the devil away
just with scripture.
Give yourself to God!
Give yourself to God!”

The sky itself has become
a black wing
as I turn away
out of the desert
“Thank you, brother!,
for taking the time.
It is good to see you
In church again!”

--Mark Justice Hinton

Submissions to The Sunday Poem are welcome. Send one or two poems with a short bio, pictures, and links to theditchrider@gmail.com.

Tags: Hinton, poems

0 members like this

Comment by Ben Moffett on April 12, 2009 at 10:21am: What a brilliantly cast poem -- you nailed them right down to the meadowlark choir. If you're not already a member of DCF's Burque Birders, perhaps you should be given an honorary certificate.

Comment by cc on April 12, 2009 at 10:38am: Yay to the dark guides. Like this poem tons, thanks Mark poet and DitchRider poster.

Comment by mjh on April 12, 2009 at 12:34pm: Thanks, all. peace, mjh

more of my poems

PS: I'm a nerd, not a geek.

Comment by cathyray on April 12, 2009 at 1:09pm: man o' man. this poetry stuff gets better every week. Today's was perfect for the feeling this morning. wow.

Comment by Randy Moffitt on April 12, 2009 at 8:40pm: Brilliant and enticing--I want to be there in that church soon--need some heavenly inspiration--Merimee Moffitt

Comment by Margaret Randall on April 13, 2009 at 5:46am: This poem broadens The Ditch Rider's poetic spectrum even more, showing us how rich and necessary these Sunday morning offerings can be. And it was as if the weather provided a perfect backdrop!