samuel has regained his strength

and his sense

the congregation rightly says   praise the lord

they are not hollow words   it has been a frightening

and unknowable journey   

with no certainty of a happy outcome

after the sermon the congregants shake his hand   

his strong hand   

as they step into summer warmth   

take in the mountain air   

knowing

that for the first time in a long time

their community is once again whole

prayers have been answered

~

no one prayed harder than zoey

no one

had more at stake

now the building   the rebuilding 

can begin   and does   

these three years have been hard

there had been no respite from the field work 

tending the sheep   

the strongest man gone

then found   found broken   

a buffalo soldier

in the wrong place at the  wrong time   

all the while

the sheep had safely grazed

~

all the while hattie schooled the little ones

all the while zoey and amos

rode old thelonius up the mountain

to the caravan   taking turns

watching the sheep

three springs   three summers   three autumns

three long and dreadful winters

tending the flock

on the winter range  

it is still zoey or amos that ride

the broad-backed horse

up the mountain to the summer pasture

to tend the sheep   shoot the coyotes

it is samuel's task is to rebuild the church   

~

for want of a carpenter   

for want of means  

the church had lain open to the weather

boards warping   rain and snow finding its way inside

but the summer has been good

under samuel's return to well-being 

with the help of anyone able to wield a saw

a hammer   

mix mortar   nail a cedar shake

the church is nearly there   a fine church    and a place

for the little ones' schooling

until a proper school can be built

a carpenter   a pastor   a church   a school   

a community

~

on the mountainside zoey contemplates the stars

reading the night sky

thinking of what has been lost   

and what   if anything   will be regained

the stars have not aligned

nor will they   she knows it is her will alone

which will decide her destiny 

her love interrupted

she shakes away the revery   one last listen   all is quiet

she climbs the three steps of the caravan 

leaves the door open

for the cool night air   leaves the stars above to circle    

prepares herself for sleep

sleeps

~~~

some other poems in this series

amos' caravan 

zoey's caravan

zoey and samuel