He laid claim,
set down his stakes,
filed for this place,
worked the land hard.
I waited,
listened to dreams
of this new home he hewed.
For us, he said.
But the joining he spoke of,
delayed too long
by the toil,
the rains,
the obstacles
to its timely completion,
slipped through his fingers.
Its purpose forgotten,
fear devoured safety,
and doubt
eroded its cornerstone.
Pris Campbell
(c)2/14/2002
Accepted for Publication in
The Dakota House Journal,
Summer 2002
Music: Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez
Artwork: The Swan by Kit Wilson
