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“John Smith have bought a horse of mr. Richard Woodhull, beeing about 2 yeres ould, a dark bay, with a smaele streke in the fore hed now delivered to the sayed John Smith, and in consideration of the same, the sayed John Smith doth ingaeg to weve all mr. Odell’s (sic) yarn into cloth tell the sayed pay is out, the sayed John is to have a fort-niete notis before hand of ech pece, and to weve it as cheap as he doe for others. 27 day June, 1670.”
Here in
the green welling days
of a new spring blossoming and blooming
and bursting
forth in a new world,
here
in a time tailor-made for a man
with
a gypsy heart and a new bay mare,
here,
in an equestrian Eden
where
every glade and meadow calls
to saddle
up and ride free…
here
sits John Smith, shop-bound weaver
in his season of desolation and despair.
Through
the small window of his shop
he sees
his graceful brown mare
frolic
on the lawn, tries not to notice
the lengthening
days spent weaving
the costly
cloth from easy yarn.
Though
he thought to purchase
simple
pleasures, his best days are woven
to heavy
duties and vague regrets.
But,
in the green paddocks of his heart
always
the sleek brown mare
prancing
on the sweet June turf.
Richard G. Beyer (formerly
of Bellport and Brookhaven)
Presented with the permission
of the author (01-09-2003)
Originally published in “Voices International,” Vol. 24, Num. 1, Spring, 1989