by Taylor Graham
We stood at the edge of highway right-
of-way holding aloft our signs
red white & blue
against the evening commute
sun glare in our eyes
sun snarling off oncoming windshields
blinding
honks & silhouettes of arms
raised inside cars headed home
fingers extended in Vs
or single birds or thumbs-down, fists
who could tell? traffic passing
mostly without much interest
headed home
under the Monday August sun coming down
hitting us over the head
until the squad car stopped
officer in blinding black uniform
telling us to disperse & desist
with our signs blue red & white
trespassing the right
-of-way. Our right.
Taylor Graham is a volunteer search-and-rescue dog handler and is also involved in conservation projects for cavity-nesting birds.