Collector
They came by Jaguar
his cousins, the strangers
their good teeth and smart clothes
and their new shoes exceptionally
humbled him
he was dishwater poor
outhouse
and obvious to all poor
he despised the rich
but more than this
he despised poor people like himself
it was a crack by Susan
on the drink of water offering
that shut him down
and had him heading to the Sterling River
there he watched the Coho
some as long as automobiles
swing in and out of pools
and of the cliff shadows
and this was his wealth
then up to the condemned bridge
(itself a noble treasure)
where he looked down at these
grand river swimmers
how they just hung out in the cold current
and it was a beautiful terror that he felt
while watching them
he returned with the twilight
and his cousins were gone
he caught some hell for always disappearing
but Dad went easy
hoping that his boy
was out there discovering what matters
© 2004 Robert Weir
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