Parchment

Written on the parchment of earth

a weathered, frowning, countenance

bereft of sustaining water

cracks its dry tears

into grieving dust.

The story

 tells of once-upon-a-time

when salving irrigation

withdrew its lubricating benefice.

And now, dried and segmented,

snakes of void

creep across its face.

But we have been here before -

suffering Summer’s shining handshake

and wait for Autumn

to share its generous libation.