Oct. 30, 2009  She Dreamed of Cows  by Norah Pollard  I knew a
woman who washed her hair and bathed her body and put on the
nightgown she'd worn Before she did the thing, she went over her
life. She started at the beginning and recalled everything— all
the shame, sorrow, regret and loss. This took her a long time
into the night until sleep captured her and bore her down.  She
dreamed of a green pasture and a green oak tree. She dreamed of
cows. She dreamed she stood under the tree and the brown and
white cows came slowly up from the pond and stood near her. Some
butted her gently and they licked her bare arms with their great
coarse drooling tongues. Their eyes, wet as shining water,
regarded her. They came closer and began to press their warm
flanks against her, and as they pressed an almost unendurable
joy came over her and lifted her like a warm wind and she could
fly. She flew over the tree and she flew over the field and she
flew with the cows.  She looked a long time at her living self.
all the while to