Three inches of rain, they say,
and an inch of hummingbirds
ruby throats frenzied at the feeder,
bathing in a limestone cup of water
Two inches of northern sky
I measure with my thumb and forefinger
a rose-colored sash across the horizon
the plaintive bluesy songs of evening robins
Then a quartet of jazzed Carolina wrens
call and responses from the high oak tree
one landing on the porch to torture the cat–
the cat clacking teeth and dripping saliva
About Eugene Jones Baldwin
I am a writer: non-fiction, fiction, journalism (Alton Telegraph), essays (The Genehouse Chronicles) and have a website: eugenebaldwin.com. I've published a couple dozen short stories and had eleven plays produced. Current projects: "Brother of the Stones" (available on Kindle), a book of short stories; "The Faithful Husband of the Rain, short stories"; "A Black Soldier's Letters Home, WWII,;" "There is No Color in Justice," a commentary on racism; "Ratkillers," a new play.
I am an avocational archaeologist and I take parts of my collection of several thousand Indian artifacts (personal finds) to schools, nature centers, libraries etc. and talk about the 20,000 year history of The First people in Illinois. (See link to website)
I'm also a playwright (eleven plays produced), musician, historian (authority on the Underground Railroad in Illinois, the Tuskegee Airmen) and teacher.
