Before Progress

Irene Keller

March 1, 2026

Texas earth free

of  barbed-wire spikes 

made to own the land.

Buffalo herds, pronghorns too

did not follow paths that led 

controlled cattle to slaughter.

Stars blanketed darkness

guided deer on their journeys 

no headlights to blind them.

Plentiful paintbrush blossoms                     

fed insects that enriched prairies

empty of steel in constant motion.                       

Piney woods with underbrush

gave shelter to sleepy squirrels    

not vain manicured trees, parks. 

Turfs of waist-high switchgrass 

moved like threads of tawny silk 

land not stifled by gray asphalt.

Birds conducted nature’s songs

echoed in springs, creeks, rivers

now rocks, dust, plastic bottles.

Irene Keller, a Texas poet, enjoys reading poems published in the Texas Poetry Assignment. While reading them, she is always amazed at the wonderful poets whom many may not know unless they read Texas Poetry Assignments. She feels fortunate to have a few poems be part of the online journal.