Otter Tail County Commute

Leaving the lake before dawn
The sky blaze orange
Greeting my jogging neighbor
I pull on to the highway
That has taken the lives of
John, Penny
and now Louise.

A red Chevy pickup in the rearview
Guy in a baseball cap
Late for work
Pushing me
Over forty mph.

By Lida Greens
A fearless young drake mallard
Waddling across 108
Focused intently
On the hen ahead of him.

In the first curve
of Three Mile Woods
My turn for a close encounter
With the Wild Tom Turkey
In the middle of 108
Protecting his harem of five.

Brake lights reflecting off the red Chevy,
Sorry, can’t help it.

This highway is no friend of mine.