Moses
No. None. Never have
Black people lived on
This back road Vermont
Where I live. But we have
A new neighbor, a white gal
Long ago graduate from Vassar
Who went to live in Africa and
She has now come home to settle
With her two children.
One is a girl, tiny, with
Lovely bead-braided hair.
She walks the dirt road to fetch
The mail with her older brother
With quick tiny steps. I haven’t
Had a chance to meet her but I
Did come upon her brother coming
The other way, short and stocky
Young teenager and said hello and
Stuck out my hand and introduced
Myself and he did too. Said his
Name was Moses. Had the steady
Eyes and an instantaneous
Reverence to go
Thaw
We went out together
To the river as it floods
And the misting and mud
With lantern light you
Held we listened and
Watched at all that
Winter going away
Chores
Rebuilding an old farm
House roof with steel
Pa wonders how he’ll
Cut around that chimney
Ma says, now is as good
A time as any
To sweep it clean
for Janine Pommy Vega
Farm Voice
she didn’t know
we could hear her
bellow like the boys
for her lost family
dog while pushing
the baby in the stroller
so we’ll never see
her the same again
_______________
Bob Arnold
Yokel
Longhouse
2011
