Ron Mohring
Almanac

The sun is always behind you
when you face a rainbow.
The moon is tired of being
stared at and wishes you’d leave
her alone. If you magnified
a pinch of sand, you’d be amazed:
so many skeletons.

To repel ants in your pantry,
mix equal parts cinnamon,
borax, and the pulverized horn
of a rhinoceros beetle. Sprinkle
across thresholds to keep
unwanted ancestors away.

When lost in deep woods,
be still. A small stone held
in the mouth can alleviate
thirst. Listen for running
water. The wind, that sneak,
will try to fool your ear. If trees
snicker, forgive them. Notice

the mosses, their voluptuous
green, their spore-stalks like
antennae receiving the signal
to hush. Of all the swollen
mushrooms writhing from
the loam, choose the least
conspicuous. A bent
leaf cupped in the hand
makes a fine compass
to the underworld.