Upon Changing a Tire in a Meteor Shower
Jennifer Vanderhoof
On my knees by the pick-up,
hands black from cranking the lugs.
No uttering for miles.
Perseids forecast with cold clarity—
perfect. And just then an owl Whuh—
followed by another three notes.
I flip the flat into the bed
while through the mountain sky
fire crevices the possible
and talons open the night in streaks.
I wipe my hands off on my jeans
and twirl the wrench in perfect circles.
Jennifer Vanderhoof is an ecologist working on conservation issues for King County, Washington. Before her current position, she worked on spotted owl crews in Oregon and red-cockaded woodpecker crews in Georgia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology from Kansas State University, as well as certificates in Poetry, Scientific Illustration and Technical Writing and Editing, all from the University of Washington. She lives in Seattle.