scene of a mothman’s crime

iron horseshoes grey and smudged with rust 

notched indented rectangular holes, perforated rims

shod long ago, horses gone

an' some oval hanging leather yokes for equestrian draft 

hanging with the tack of leather brown

on weathered roughened saw milled boards pegged with nails

make the wall what it is, adorn its roughened face

whose knot holed irregular breaks 

between true twelve inch planks of yesteryore 

allow discreet views to the outside sun-filled prairie world 

coupled with a chandeliered show 

of diffused light that enters shyly through the cracks 

from a noon day sun on the western wall of this montana barn

the light that slaps the edges of the brass, of the harness 

that wears the white of horses' spit an' perspiration dried, 

scratches the powdery floor, of fine dust that is the ground

that is whitish gray, like dirty flour strewn in soft mounds

where the dark an' musty debris does not prevail

where the slightest stir of air raises the tiniest of specks 

like fairy dust that rides upon the back, of the introverted light beams

the prints of bare feet scattered throughout an' leading to the hay loft 

with its severed pile beneath the rawhide leather lassoed ropes suspended,

that hang alongside the washboard sullen galvanized 

bear silent labored testimonies now retired,

that she once lived here 

the barn owl perches by day in a crevice of the rafters, of the loft

if the loft could talk perhaps it'd tell you of the act 

that took place beneath her nose on the hay pile below

ask not of the owl for it was on nocturnal business

in search of rodent prey when such act did violently occur

on a moonlit night in cold of february snow

under guise of shadow played 

with motley moon's light and black intermingled clouds

a lone figure resembling a man with glowing eyes of red

stealthily stalked a fair maiden while in her barn

at curry of her horses

it lifted her off the ground and flew off, up 

through the highest door of the loft 

an' dropped her from that height to dispose of her life

then plunging downward swooped her up again

and flew into the blinding wind and draft of laden snow