bison insignia
on a semi truck
going south towards
New Mexico
on a stretch of highway
that follows what once was
the path of the herd
we could never have planned
the irony of this ruin
of all these graven images
we carry
of what once was
logos of massacred masses
Indian motorcycles
Cheyenne mountain
Arapaho road
the bison on the semi truck
even license plates
bear mountains
we can’t see through the smoke
of all these old forests burning

Alexander Shalom Joseph is an award-winning poet, writer and playwright from Gilpin County, and is the author of seven published books. You can find his work and more information about him at alexandershalomjoseph.com.