The Prospector III
Feather River.
Where wicked night winds creak through homemade hinges, though no-one stirs, save for gunfire exchange.
Runaways and unsettled settlers finding their way. A snapshot; two bandits smoke ill-fitting-top-pocket cigarettes lusting for action on grim streets, slim boardwalks, dust and human excrement stains.
Almost sun.
No ordinary light.
Drums of the day.
Above deep and vocal whisky streets he lies in embers, fully-sullen-unselfless.
Wealthy dreams of exotic women cooing and hollering from the bronze belfry.
Priceless earth astronomer, spoiled by riches.
Bloated and bearded; a never-ending waterfall of precious metal cascading down.
He strikes the soil like Galileo plotting the stars. A gift you couldn’t sell.
Hooves in dirt and dust.
So unspoiled in morning light.
Sleep was hard to shake.
All night she tied her knots round him.
Eventually he stirred.
Lover snoring like a hot spring.
A cigarette.
A plate.
A wash of water to remove the sugar from his skin.
*scene
It took all morning to raise hell, and for all hell to break loose.
But when it rose it was all eyes and ears and hair and lung and holster; a bedroom bloodbath.
Rotten landing creaking.
Rusting hinges bucked.
Two bandits enter fast and drawn.
Boiling bullets graze the sky.
Various piped innards expunge.
Lady lay, still, eyes open,
RIP my love.
*scene
It felt divine mapping a route from the mouth of the mine when the sun shone brightest.
The fire of sunrise hitting yellow, metal pockets. The warmth of bullion calling his name.
~ birdsong circling prey
A new vision of the world always starts underground. You must listen to her murmurings, give in to her runners, she will show you which direction to delve.
Nothing must come between you and the queen of the deep tunnels, sing out to her, she will share what she knows.
Old kneecaps in rich dirt. Desert-dust-filled eyeballs, desert eagle to his temple, blood soaked buffaloed brow shiners, same unfamiliar horses shoop.
Which way now old man?
Which way to the loot?
I echo what you said;
I’m a dead man if I don’t,
but you’re both dead men if I do.