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Open Poetry #48
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Duck1946
Member
since 2011-05-16
Posts 84
Nebraska

0 posted 2013-02-26 06:19 AM


First I call up my shutins: three
older ladies who live by themselves.
I pick them up: my truck holds four.
The shutins have their bags, cool.
We drive to the church making small talk.
"Snow tonight maybe two to three inches."
We stand in line in the parking lot.
Ahead of us ia a large, strong looking
man just waiting in line, he is native.
A younger, slim man walks around us.
He goes up to the larger man, they talk.
Suddenly, the younger man is yelling
, "You are losing your heritage."
The larger man looks mean, he says,
I am Omaha, and you are Sioux."
We all know this is bad: the two tribes
are enemys, many old grudges.
The younger man touches the larger
with his finger, like counting coup.
The larger man spins and shoves the
younger man into the parking lot.
The younger man backs up, goes into
fighting stance, begins to curse
and threaten-there are children here.
The younger man is drunk-all can see.
Out of the door of the church
comes a small bouncing black blob.
"What is going on here, "she demands.
I point to the small man and say,
"He is drunk."
The small nun calls the young man
over and they talk. We hear her tell him
to go home and sleep it off. Later
he can come back.
The nun adresses the crowd.
"This is a holy place, it is God's
House. There will be no fighting.
You may not swear. You may not smoke.
There are no public restrooms here. You
must use the filling-station a block
south. Your children must behave. Turn
your cell phones off. There is only one
rule here : respect."
She is small and old, but her spirt
is strong-all can see.
We go inside. They have extra watermellon
today. Cool, I will take some home, just
me.

© Copyright 2013 Robert Bridges - All Rights Reserved
JerryPat2
Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975
South Louisiana
1 posted 2013-02-26 06:23 AM


Drama in the churchyard . . . Sometimes dynamite comes in small packages . . .

~*~ If they give you ruled paper write sideways . . . ~*~

Victoria
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Ascendant
since 2000-08-12
Posts 5869

2 posted 2013-02-26 07:37 AM


Hopefully the watermelon changed their attitude ha...enjoyed Mr.B. nice to hear from you.

~Victoria

I was adored once too.
William Shakespeare

Rex Allen McCoy
Member Elite
since 2000-01-30
Posts 2863
Sippin a Timmy's in London
3 posted 2013-02-26 06:45 PM


An enjoyable piece ... though I fear, there will always be old grudges
~
Rex

     


JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
4 posted 2013-02-27 12:22 PM


Nice...James
Duck1946
Member
since 2011-05-16
Posts 84
Nebraska
5 posted 2013-02-27 02:27 PM


Thanks all for reading and commenting.
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