P O E T S ON THE LINE
a continuing anthologyFounded by Andrew Gettler & Linda Lerner
NO. 9 & 10 T H E M I L L E N N I U M I S S U E
Edited by Linda Lerner
KELL ROBERTSON
Just One Mountain Away
they raped the Brily girl
and smashed her head with a rock
lunging away at herwhile old man Brily sat
in the bar telling us
his daughter was a whore
and would never enter
his house again."Come home knocked up.
Wanted us to take her in
as if I'd have anything to do
with a bitch carrying
a spic baby."They didn't find the boys
who did it. The uncle paid
for the funeral.
Buried in a closed coffin
so no one could see
her smashed smile.Her father stood
at the edge of the graveyard
when they lowered her down
drinking cheap whiskey
puking and cryingjust one mountain away.
At War With A Dull Chainsaw
green wood and a chill wind,
the wind bringing in
a heavy storm, down across
the mesa. Aching arms and
a banged knee. I finally
turn the damn thing off,
look up and see the horse
looking at me, shaking his head.
He catches my glance and
looks up at a wild cloud
shaped like a savage woman
then turns and trots away
leaving me with a dead saw
dangling, as the wind sings
the most chilling hymn I ever heard.
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