New England

by Garry Gay and Michael Dylan Welch

First published in Blithe Spirit 27:2, May 2017, page 31. Originally written 19 October 2015, on the road from Albany, New York, to Bennington, Vermont (where we saw Robert Frost’s grave), north to Rutland, then west to Lake George, then south again to Albany, completed at Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant in Albany, with a copy given to our waiter, who said he was taking a poetry class. +

an autumn wind

shuts the white doors

small-town church Garry

orange gourds

on the frayed welcome mat Michael

red barn

two scarecrows

lean against each other Garry

corn stocks swaying

against the blue sky . . .

a call from home Michael

in the rusted wheelbarrow

a black cat sleeps Garry

day moon—

a few yellow leaves

on Robert Frost’s grave Michael