Still Life '77

A regular morning here

But there cows heaved,

bacon sizzled.

A Zane Gray western splayed the floor.

The Today Show thump-tinkled the air.

The backdoor slammed; the barnboots thumped.

Heavy steps circled the skillet -- time to get up.

Small woman, big man, uncertain girls and boy

Rounding the silent table, nameless shames, sounds.

We grabbed homework, trumpet cases, track shoes,

Jumped off the porch, intercepted Bus number 3

Horse-stumbling-hard up the blacktop hill.

A driver, silent farm kids, bus-pus smells.

We were driven off to dump in town,

struggle with science, be tormented

By loves, learn how differently others live,

Expand our views, or contract the flu.

Behind we left the small woman, big man,

Lots of dogs, bones in the yard, cow moos, house

creaking, bacon sizzling, sounds of shoes 

leaving and still-living 1977.

TWW