It was a first-time stop for me at Beason's Park on the Colorado River near Columbus, Texas. I was grateful to pull off the road after having made an error or two exiting I-10 to access Highway 71 back home to Austin. The day was very warm and quiet;the earth was dry. I could hear the noise of my own footsteps, walking through an afternoon dream.

the night before the wedding
in a small town in Arkansas
a row of photos
by Zack Jennings
lined the wall

and merged
with the preparations
for the celebration

Driving from Alabama to Louisiana, I made a detour at dusk into Natchez, Mississippi. The Mississippi River surprised me with its grand calm, and I was overtaken by an emptiness. I viewed the river without thought.

Sandwiches and a glass of sangria revived my spirit.

These photos were taken on Friday, May 25th, 2012.

Memorial Day weekend, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

two here
eight there
a dozen
common nighthawks
agile in flight
flickering
in the dusky light
the aerial weaving
of uncommon cloth
the night path
of the human heart

I've yet to figure out the mystery of the schools.

This yellow light was flashing this morning. The sign has been there all year, but there is no school on this street. That's one puzzle.

When the public school buses roll by, except for drivers, they are empty, no matter what time of day I see them. (This was also true when I was living in Oakland/Berkeley, California 2009-2010). I've seen maybe ten big yellow buses tooling along various streets in the last two days, not a child in any of them. Even the university buses are lacking passengers. That's another puzzle.

There are some signs of life at the local schools, but I don't see the activities that once were common, such as band practice in the fields, nor team practice for sports. The school grounds show little evidence of the trampling of young feet. It's so confusing, I've been hesitant to bring it up. Where are the students?