summer pasture
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
Poetry by one trick pony
![The PoetBay support member heart!](/img/pix/hart.gif)
Read 68 times
Written on 2024-07-24 at 03:48
![dott](/img/pix/square_grey.gif)
![dott](/img/pix/square_grey.gif)
![dott](/img/pix/square_grey.gif)
![dott](/img/pix/square_grey.gif)
![]() |
Sona |
![]() |
Sameen |